Dry-Process Anode Binder Composition for Thick Lithium Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lithium secondary battery manufacturing processes face challenges in reducing energy consumption and increasing electrode thickness to lower production costs, particularly in forming anodes with excellent mechanical properties and electrochemical stability in a dry manner.
Innovation Solution
A composition for forming an anode of a lithium secondary battery is developed, which includes a binder made of a triblock copolymer with a soft block derived from an aliphatic or alicyclic diene-based monomer and hard blocks derived from aromatic ring-containing ethylenically unsaturated monomers. This binder provides excellent mechanical properties, stability at negative potentials, and strong binding to anode active materials and conductive materials, forming a three-dimensional network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional slurry casting method is used to manufacture electrodes, then good electrochemical performance is achieved, but energy consumption accounts for about 50% of total manufacturing energy
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the solvent from the conventional slurry casting process, transitioning to a dry powder mixing method. This removes the energy-intensive steps of solvent evaporation and drying while maintaining electrode performance through optimized binder composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of the binding system from liquid slurry to dry powder, and modifies the binder molecular structure to achieve adequate adhesion without solvent. The triblock copolymer's specific architecture enables effective binding in the dry state.
2Ease of manufacture
If electrode thickness is increased to reduce manufacturing cost, then cost savings are achieved, but mechanical properties and electrochemical stability become compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a composite binder system using triblock copolymer with specific hard and soft blocks that provide both mechanical strength and flexibility. This composite structure enables thick electrode construction while maintaining adequate mechanical integrity and electrochemical stability.
3Use of energy by moving object
If dry manufacturing method is used to reduce energy consumption, then energy cost is reduced, but achieving excellent mechanical properties and electrochemical stability becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the binder's molecular parameters by using triblock copolymer with specifically designed hard blocks (glassy phase) and soft blocks (rubbery phase). This molecular architecture enables the dry-manufactured electrode to achieve both mechanical strength and electrochemical stability without solvent.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite binder structure combining rigid hard blocks for structural integrity and flexible soft blocks for electrochemical performance enables successful dry manufacturing with excellent reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition enables the manufacture of self-supporting films for anodes with enhanced tensile strength, electrochemical stability, and moldability, effectively reducing manufacturing costs by minimizing energy consumption and allowing for higher electrode loading, thereby improving the overall performance of lithium secondary batteries.
Implementation Method 1
forms a three-dimensional network which can strongly bind to the anode active material and a conductive material
Implementation Method 2
strongly bind to an anode active material
Implementation Method 3
a soft block derived from an aliphatic or alicyclic diene-based monomer and forming a rubbery phase at a room temperature
Implementation Method 4
a first hard block and a second hard block connected to both ends of the soft block, respectively, derived from an aromatic ring-containing ethylenically unsaturated monomer and forming a glassy phase at a room temperature
Data Source
AI summary
disclosureDisclosed are, inter alia, a composition for forming an anode of a lithium secondary battery including an anode active material, a conductive material, and a binder. Particularly, the binder contains a triblock copolymer which has a soft block derived from an aliphatic or alicyclic diene-based monomer and forming a rubbery phase at a room temperature; and a first hard block and a second hard block connected to both ends of the soft block, respectively, derived from an aromatic ring-containing ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and forming a glassy phase at a room temperature, and wherein the binder includes particles with an average diameter (D50) of 1 μm or more and 50 μm or less.