Investigation of laser sintering process parameters for anode foils in aluminium electrolytic capacitors considering temperature distribution

Abstract The anode foil is a critical component of aluminium electrolytic capacitors, with its performance directly impacting the overall quality of the capacitors. Currently, sintered anode foil with excellent bending resistance and high specific capacitance is considered an ideal material for capacitor manufacturing; however, research on its optimal sintering parameters remains insufficient. In this study, a three-dimensional temperature field model is developed within the Comsol Multiphysics (6.0) environment, accounting for the temperature dependence of aluminium. By varying laser power and scanning speed, the temperature distribution along the laser scanning trajectory is determined, facilitating the identification of optimal process parameters for laser sintering anode foils in electrolytic capacitors. Subsequent laser sintering experiments validate the accuracy of these parameters. The findings indicate that the peak temperature of the molten pool rises with increased laser power and decreased scanning speed. The optimal process parameters for laser sintering anode foils in electrolytic capacitors are a powder layer thickness of 50 μm, a laser power of 140 W, and a scanning speed of 0.05 m s⁻¹. The specific capacitance of laser-sintered anode foil, formed at voltages of 375 V and 520 V, ranges from 0.847 to 1.157 μF cm⁻² and 0.717 to 0.935 μF cm⁻², respectively, when the particle size is between 3 and 4 μm. A specific capacitance of 0.733 μF cm⁻² can be achieved, which meets the performance requirements for aluminium electrolytic capacitors.