Electrode Slurry Dispersant for High-Solid Uniform Battery Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Increasing the content of electrode active material in a slurry for forming a semi-solid-state secondary battery leads to reduced fluidity and non-uniform coating, affecting battery performance.
Innovation Solution
A slurry comprising an electrode active material, a conductive auxiliary agent, and a non-aqueous electrolytic solution, with a dispersant polymer having specific molecular weight and composition, enhances fluidity and handleability, ensuring uniform coating even with high active material content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the content of electrode active material in the slurry is increased to further increase battery capacity and energy density, then the charge capacity and energy density are improved, but the fluidity of the slurry is reduced and uniform coating becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A dispersant is introduced as an intermediary substance to mediate between the electrode active material particles and the slurry medium. The dispersant adsorbs onto particle surfaces, providing steric or electrostatic repulsion that prevents aggregation and maintains fluidity even at high active material content (90-99 wt%).
Solution Approach 2:
The molecular weight of the dispersant polymer is precisely controlled within the range of 1,000 to 15,000. This parameter optimization ensures the dispersant has sufficient chain length to provide effective steric hindrance while maintaining adequate solubility and mobility in the slurry, achieving optimal fluidity at high solid loading.
2Quantity of substance
If the content of electrode active material in the slurry is increased to increase battery capacity, then the energy density is improved, but the coating uniformity deteriorates and battery performance varies
Solution Approach 1:
The dispersant acts as a mediator that ensures uniform distribution of electrode active material particles throughout the slurry. By preventing particle aggregation and maintaining stable suspension, the dispersant enables uniform coating thickness and composition even when active material content exceeds 90 wt%.
3Ease of operation
If the molecular weight of the dispersant polymer is increased to improve dispersibility, then the fluidity is improved, but the handling and processing of the dispersant becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The molecular weight of the dispersant is optimized within a specific range (1,000 to 15,000) to balance dispersibility and handleability. Polymers in this range provide sufficient chain length for effective steric stabilization while remaining soluble and easy to handle in slurry preparation processes.
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 slurry improves the performance of non-aqueous electrolytic solution secondary batteries by maintaining fluidity and uniformity, enhancing manufacturing suitability and battery performance.
Implementation Method 1
a dispersant, in which the dispersant consists of a polymer having a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 15,000
Implementation Method 2
the polymer containing 80% to 99% by mass of a constitutional component represented by Formula (1) and 1% to 20% by mass of constitutional components represented by Formulae (2) and (3) in total
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Provided is a slurry for forming an electrode containing an electrode active material, a conductive auxiliary agent, a non-aqueous electrolytic solution, and a dispersant, in which the dispersant consists of a polymer having a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 15,000, the polymer containing 80% to 99% by mass of a constitutional component represented by Formula (1) and 1% to 20% by mass of constitutional components represented by Formulae (2) and (3) in total. In the formulae, * represents a linking site, R1 represents a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R2 to R6 represent a hydrogen atom or methyl, R7 represents a hydrocarbon group having 5 to 18 carbon atoms, R8 represents a group which has 1 to 12 carbon atoms and has a nitrogen atom, and n is a number of 3 to 30.