1
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Higa K, Zhang B, Chandrasiri DK, Tan D, Collins-Wildman D, Bloemhard P, Lizotte E, Martin-Nyenhuis G, Parkinson DY, Prasher R, Battaglia VS. Visualization of Porous Composite Battery Electrode Fabrication Dynamics for Different Formulations and Conditions Using Hard X-ray Microradiography. ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS 2024; 7:2989-3008. [PMID: 38606033 PMCID: PMC11005008 DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.4c00402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Porous composite battery electrode performance is influenced by a large number of manufacturing decisions. While it is common to evaluate only finished electrodes when making process adjustments, one must then make inferences about the fabrication process dynamics from static results, which makes process optimization very costly and time-consuming. To get information about the dynamics of the manufacturing processes of these composites, we have built a miniature coating and drying apparatus capable of fabricating lab-scale electrode laminates while operating within an X-ray beamline hutch. Using this tool, we have collected the first radiography image sequences of lab-scale battery electrode coatings in profile, taken throughout drying processes conducted under industrially relevant conditions. To assist with interpretation of these image sequences, we developed an automated image analysis program. Here, we discuss our observations of battery electrode slurry samples, including stratification and long-term fluid flow, and their relevance to composite electrode manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Higa
- Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Buyi Zhang
- Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- University
of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | | | - Denny Tan
- Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | | | - Patricius Bloemhard
- Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Eric Lizotte
- Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Gabriela Martin-Nyenhuis
- Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- RWTH
Aachen University, Aachen 52056, Federal
Republic of Germany
| | | | - Ravi Prasher
- Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- University
of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Vincent S. Battaglia
- Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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2
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Patil S, Koirala KP, Crafton MJ, Yang G, Tsai WY, McCloskey BD, Wang C, Nanda J, Self EC. Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Disordered Rocksalt Cathodes Enabled by a Graphite Conductive Additive. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:39253-39264. [PMID: 37565767 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c05619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Cobalt-free cation-disordered rocksalt (DRX) cathodes are a promising class of materials for next-generation Li-ion batteries. Although they have high theoretical specific capacities (>300 mA h/g) and moderate operating voltages (∼3.5 V vs Li/Li+), DRX cathodes typically require a high carbon content (up to 30 wt %) to fully utilize the active material which has a detrimental impact on cell-level energy density. To assess pathways to reduce the electrode's carbon content, the present study investigates how the carbon's microstructure and loading (10-20 wt %) influence the performance of DRX cathodes with the nominal composition Li1.2Mn0.5Ti0.3O1.9F0.1. While electrodes prepared with conventional disordered carbon additives (C65 and ketjenblack) exhibit rapid capacity fade due to an unstable cathode/electrolyte interface, DRX cathodes containing 10 wt % graphite show superior cycling performance (e.g., reversible capacities ∼260 mA h/g with 85% capacity retention after 50 cycles) and rate capability (∼135 mA h/g at 1000 mA/g). A suite of characterization tools was employed to evaluate the performance differences among these composite electrodes. Overall, these results indicate that the superior performance of the graphite-based cathodes is largely attributed to the: (i) formation of a uniform graphitic coating on DRX particles which protects the surface from parasitic reactions at high states of charge and (ii) homogeneous dispersion of the active material and carbon throughout the composite cathode which provides a robust electronically conductive network that can withstand repeated charge-discharge cycles. Overall, this study provides key scientific insights on how the carbon microstructure and electrode processing influence the performance of DRX cathodes. Based on these results, exploration of alternative routes to apply graphitic coatings is recommended to further optimize the material performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shripad Patil
- Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Krishna Prasad Koirala
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Matthew J Crafton
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Energy Storage and Distributed Resources Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Guang Yang
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Wan-Yu Tsai
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Bryan D McCloskey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Energy Storage and Distributed Resources Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Chongmin Wang
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Jagjit Nanda
- Applied Energy Division, SLAC National Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Ethan C Self
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
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3
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Araño KG, Armstrong BL, Boeding E, Yang G, Meyer HM, Wang E, Korkosz R, Browning KL, Malkowski T, Key B, Veith GM. Functionalized Silicon Particles for Enhanced Half- and Full-Cell Cycling of Si-Based Li-Ion Batteries. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:10554-10569. [PMID: 36791306 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c16978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Vinylene carbonate (VC) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) have been investigated as functional agents that mimic the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) chemistry of silicon (Si). VC and PEO are known to contribute to the stability of Si-based lithium-ion batteries as an electrolyte additive and as a SEI component, respectively. In this work, covalent surface functionalization was achieved via a facile route, which involves ball-milling the Si particles with sacrificial VC and PEO. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectroscopy indicate that the additives are strongly bound to Si. In particular, MAS NMR shows Si-R or Si-O-R groups, which confirm functionalization of the Si after milling in VC or PEO. Particle size analysis by dynamic light scattering reveals that the additives facilitate particle size reduction and that the functionalized particles result in more stable dispersions based on zeta potential measurements. Raman mapping of the electrodes fabricated from the VC and PEO-coated active material with a polyacrylic acid (PAA) binder reveals a more homogenous distribution of Si and the carbon conductive additive compared to the electrodes prepared from the neat Si. Furthermore, the VC-milled Si strikingly exhibited the highest capacity in both half- and full-cell configurations, with more than 200 mAh g-1 measured capacity compared to the neat Si in the half-cell format. This is linked to an improved electrode processing based on the Raman and zeta potential measurements as well as a thinner SEI (with more organic components for the functionalized Si relative to the neat Si) based on XPS analysis of the cycled electrodes. The effect of binder was also investigated by comparing PAA with P84 (polyimide type), where an increased capacity is observed in the latter case.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khryslyn G Araño
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Beth L Armstrong
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Ethan Boeding
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Guang Yang
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Harry M Meyer
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Evelyna Wang
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Rachel Korkosz
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Katie L Browning
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Thomas Malkowski
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Baris Key
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Gabriel M Veith
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
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4
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Demchuk Z, Zhu J, Li B, Zhao X, Islam NM, Bocharova V, Yang G, Zhou H, Jiang Y, Choi W, Advincula R, Cao PF. Unravelling the Influence of Surface Modification on the Ultimate Performance of Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composites. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:45775-45787. [PMID: 36170969 PMCID: PMC9562280 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c11281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The overall performance of polymer composites depends on not only the intrinsic properties of the polymer matrix and inorganic filler but also the quality of interfacial adhesion. Although many reported approaches have been focused on the chemical treatment for improving interfacial adhesion, the examination of ultimate mechanical performance and long-term properties of polymer composites has been rarely investigated. Herein, we report carbon fiber (CF)/epoxy composites with improved interfacial adhesion by covalent bonding between CFs and the epoxy matrix. This leads to the improved ultimate mechanical properties and enhanced thermal aging performance. Raman mapping demonstrates the formation of an interphase region derived from the covalent bonding between CFs and the epoxy matrix, which enables the uniform fiber distribution and eliminates phase separation during thermal cycling. The covalent attachment of the CF to the epoxy matrix suppresses its migration during temperature fluctuations, preserving the mechanical performance of resulting composites under the thermal aging process. Furthermore, the finite elemental analysis reveals the effectiveness of the chemical treatment of CFs in improving the interfacial strength and toughness of silane-treated CF/epoxy composites. The insight into the mechanical improvement of CF/epoxy composites suggests the high potential of surface modification of inorganic fillers toward polymer composites with tunable properties for different applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoriana Demchuk
- Chemical
Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Jiadeng Zhu
- Chemical
Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Bingrui Li
- The
Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Xiao Zhao
- Chemical
Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Nurul Md. Islam
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States
| | - Vera Bocharova
- Chemical
Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Guang Yang
- Chemical
Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Hongyu Zhou
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Yijie Jiang
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States
| | - Wonbong Choi
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States
| | - Rigoberto Advincula
- Center
for Nanophase Materials and Sciences, Oak
Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Peng-Fei Cao
- State
Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
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5
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Burdette-Trofimov MK, Armstrong BL, Korkosz RJ, Tyler JL, McAuliffe RD, Heroux L, Doucet M, Hoelzer DT, Kanbargi N, Naskar AK, Veith GM. Understanding the Solution Dynamics and Binding of a PVDF Binder with Silicon, Graphite, and NMC Materials and the Influence on Cycling Performance. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:23322-23331. [PMID: 35575682 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c00723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The impact of the binding, solution structure, and solution dynamics of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with silicon on its performance as compared to traditional graphite and Li1.05Ni0.33Mn0.33Co0.33O2 (NMC) electrode materials was explored. Through refractive index (RI) measurements, the concentration of the binder adsorbed on the surface of electrode materials during electrode processing was determined to be less than half of the potentially available material resulting in excessive free binder in solution. Using ultrasmall-angle neutron scattering (USANS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), it was found that PVDF forms a conformal coating over the entirety of the silicon particle. This is in direct contrast to graphite-PVDF and NMC-PVDF slurries, where PVDF only covers part of the graphite surface, and the PVDF chains make a network-like graphite-PVDF structure. Conversely, a thick layer of PVDF covers NMC particles, but the coating is porous, allowing for ion and electronic transport. The homogeneous coating of silicon breaks up percolation pathways, resulting in poor cycling performance of silicon materials as widely reported. These results indicate that the Si-PVDF interactions could be modified from a binder to a dispersant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary K Burdette-Trofimov
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
| | - Beth L Armstrong
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
| | - Rachel J Korkosz
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
| | - J Landon Tyler
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
| | - Rebecca D McAuliffe
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
| | - Luke Heroux
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
| | - Mathieu Doucet
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
| | - David T Hoelzer
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
| | - Nihal Kanbargi
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
| | - Amit K Naskar
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
| | - Gabriel M Veith
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 United States
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6
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Sawhney MA, Wahid M, Muhkerjee S, Griffin R, Roberts A, Ogale S, Baker J. Process-Structure-Formulation Interactions for Enhanced Sodium Ion Battery Development: A Review. Chemphyschem 2022; 23:e202100860. [PMID: 35032154 PMCID: PMC9303753 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202100860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Before the viability of a cell formulation can be assessed for implementation in commercial sodium ion batteries, processes applied in cell production should be validated and optimized. This review summarizes the steps performed in constructing sodium ion (Na-ion) cells at research scale, highlighting parameters and techniques that are likely to impact measured cycling performance. Consistent process-structure-performance links have been established for typical lithium-ion (Li-ion) cells, which can guide hypotheses to test in Na-ion cells. Liquid electrolyte viscosity, sequence of mixing electrode slurries, rate of drying electrodes and cycling characteristics of formation were found critical to the reported capacity of laboratory cells. Based on the observed importance of processing to battery performance outcomes, the current focus on novel materials in Na-ion research should be balanced with deeper investigation into mechanistic changes of cell components during and after production, to better inform future designs of these promising batteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Anne Sawhney
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringSwansea UniversityBay Campus, Fabian Way, Crymlyn BurrowsSkewen, SwanseaSA1 8ENUnited Kingdom
| | - Malik Wahid
- Department of ChemistryInterdisciplinary Division for Renewable Energy and Advanced Materials (iDREAM)NIT SrinagarSrinagar190006India
| | - Santanu Muhkerjee
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringSwansea UniversityBay Campus, Fabian Way, Crymlyn BurrowsSkewen, SwanseaSA1 8ENUnited Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Griffin
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringSwansea UniversityBay Campus, Fabian Way, Crymlyn BurrowsSkewen, SwanseaSA1 8ENUnited Kingdom
| | - Alexander Roberts
- Research Institute for Clean Growth and Future MobilityCoventry UniversityManor House Drive, Friars HouseCoventryCV1 2TEUnited Kingdom
| | - Satishchandra Ogale
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)Dr Homi Bhabha Road, PashanPune411 008India
- Research Institute for Sustainable EnergyTCG-CREST Salt LakeKolkata700091India
| | - Jenny Baker
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringSwansea UniversityBay Campus, Fabian Way, Crymlyn BurrowsSkewen, SwanseaSA1 8ENUnited Kingdom
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7
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Yari S, D'Haen J, Van Bael MK, Hardy A, Safari M. Fracture-induced aging anomalies in LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 electrodes. Electrochem commun 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2021.107134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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8
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Operando observation of concentrated SiO 2 suspensions by optical coherent tomography during flow curve measurements: The relationship between polymer dispersant structures and surface interactions. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 607:290-297. [PMID: 34509106 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.08.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Flow curve measurement is commonly used to characterize the flow behavior of concentrated suspensions. However, dynamic changes in the suspension inner microstructures under highly sheared conditions have not been correctly understood even though they strongly affect the measured shear stress. We hypothesize that the real particle dynamics during shearing could be effectively revealed by a systematic investigation that combines macroscopic flow curve measurements with operando microstructural observation employing an optical coherent tomography (OCT) apparatus and surface interaction measurements with the colloidal probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) method. EXPERIMENTS The model system was spherical SiO2/toluene suspensions stabilized by polyethyleneimine (PEI) partially complexed with different fatty acids. Inner structures of the suspensions during flow curve measurements were observed by the OCT technique. The surface-surface interactions in toluene were analyzed using the colloidal probe AFM method. FINDINGS Operando OCT observations revealed that during flow curve measurements, the suspensions can have completely different microscopic flow modes depending on the fatty acid species complexed to PEI and the solid concentrations. These microscopic flow modes could not be recognized using the typical flow curve measurements alone. The different flow modes can be explained by surface interactions measured by the colloidal probe AFM method.
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9
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Burdette-Trofimov MK, Armstrong BL, Heroux L, Doucet M, Sacci RL, Veith GM. Structure and dynamics of small polyimide oligomers with silicon as a function of aging. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:7729-7742. [PMID: 34342318 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00961c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The effect of UV curing and shearing on the structure and behavior of a polyimide (PI) binder as it disperses silicon particles in a battery electrode slurry was investigated. PI dispersant effectiveness increases with UV curing time, which controls the overall binder molecular weight. The shear force during electrode casting causes higher molecular weight PI to agglomerate, resulting in battery anodes with poorly dispersed Si particles that do not cycle well. It is hypothesized that when PI binder is added above a critical amount, it conformally coats the silicon particles and greatly impedes Li ion transport. There is an "interzonal region" for binder loading where it disperses silicon well and provides a coverage that facilitates Li transport through the anode material and into the silicon particles. These results have implications in ensuring reproducible electrode manufacturing and increasing cell performance by optimizing the PI structure and coordination with the silicon precursor.
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10
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Xiong J, Dupré N, Mazouzi D, Guyomard D, Roué L, Lestriez B. Influence of the Polyacrylic Acid Binder Neutralization Degree on the Initial Electrochemical Behavior of a Silicon/Graphite Electrode. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:28304-28323. [PMID: 34101424 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c06683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The role of the physicochemical properties of the water-soluble polyacrylic acid (PAA) binder in the electrochemical performance of highly loaded silicon/graphite 50/50 wt % negative electrodes has been examined as a function of the neutralization degree x in PAAH1-xLix at the initial cycle in an electrolyte not containing ethylene carbonate. Electrode processing in the acidic PAAH binder at pH 2.5 leads to a deep copper corrosion, resulting in a significant electrode cohesion and adhesion to the current collector surface, but the strong binder rigidity may explain the big cracks occurring on the electrode surface at the first cycle. The nonuniform binder coating on the material surface leads to an important degradation of the electrolyte, explaining the lowest initial Coulombic efficiency and the lowest reversible capacity among the studied electrodes. When processed in neutral pH, the PAAH0.22Li0.78 binder forms a conformal artificial solid electrolyte interphase layer on the material surface, which minimizes the electrolyte reduction at the first cycle and then maximizes the initial Coulombic efficiency. However, the low mechanical resistance of the electrode and its strong cracking explain its low reversible capacity. Electrodes prepared at intermediate pH 4 combine the positive assets of electrodes prepared at acidic and neutral pH. They lead to the best initial performance with a notable areal capacity of 7.2 mA h cm-2 and the highest initial Coulombic efficiency of around 90%, a value much larger than the usual range reported for silicon/graphite anodes. All data obtained with complementary characterization techniques were discussed as a function of the PAA polymeric chain molecular conformation, microstructure, and surface adsorption or grafting, emphasizing the tremendous role of the binder in the electrode initial performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhan Xiong
- Université de Nantes, CNRS, Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, IMN, Nantes F-44000, France
| | - Nicolas Dupré
- Université de Nantes, CNRS, Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, IMN, Nantes F-44000, France
| | - Driss Mazouzi
- Materials, Natural Substances, Environment and Modeling Laboratory, Multidisciplinary Faculty of Taza, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, B.P. 1223 Taza-Gare, Fes 30000, Morocco
| | - Dominique Guyomard
- Université de Nantes, CNRS, Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, IMN, Nantes F-44000, France
| | - Lionel Roué
- Centre Énergie, Matériaux, Télécommunications (EMT), Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), 1650, Boulevard Lionel Boulet, Varennes, Quebec J3X 1S2, Canada
| | - Bernard Lestriez
- Université de Nantes, CNRS, Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, IMN, Nantes F-44000, France
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11
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Burdette-Trofimov MK, Armstrong BL, Murphy RP, Heroux L, Doucet M, Trask SE, Rogers AM, Veith GM. Role of Low Molecular Weight Polymers on the Dynamics of Silicon Anodes During Casting. Chemphyschem 2021; 22:1049-1058. [PMID: 33848038 PMCID: PMC10476694 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202100179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
This work probes the slurry architecture of a high silicon content electrode slurry with and without low molecular weight polymeric dispersants as a function of shear rate to mimic electrode casting conditions for poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and lithium neutralized poly(acrylic acid) (LiPAA) based electrodes. Rheology coupled ultra-small angle neutron scattering (rheo-USANS) was used to examine the aggregation and agglomeration behavior of each slurry as well as the overall shape of the aggregates. The addition of dispersant has opposing effects on slurries made with PAA or LiPAA binder. With a dispersant, there are fewer aggregates and agglomerates in the PAA based silicon slurries, while LiPAA based silicon slurries become orders of magnitude more aggregated and agglomerated at all shear rates. The reorganization of the PAA and LiPAA binder in the presence of dispersant leads to a more homogeneous slurry and a more heterogeneous slurry, respectively. This reorganization ripples through to the cast electrode architecture and is reflected in the electrochemical cycling of these electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary K Burdette-Trofimov
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Beth L Armstrong
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Ryan P Murphy
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Luke Heroux
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Mathieu Doucet
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Stephen E Trask
- Chemical Science & Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S Cass Ave, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Alexander M Rogers
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Gabriel M Veith
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
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12
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Burdette-Trofimov MK, Armstrong BL, Murphy RP, Heroux L, Doucet M, Rogers A, Veith GM. Probing clustering dynamics between silicon and PAA or LiPAA slurries under processing conditions. ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS 2021; 3:2447-2460. [PMID: 37719714 PMCID: PMC10502875 DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.1c00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
This work explores the complex interplay between slurry aggregation, agglomeration, and conformation (i.e. shape) of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and lithiated poly(acrylic acid) (LiPAA) based silicon slurries as a function of shear rate, and the resulting slurry homogeneity. These values were measured by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and rheology coupled ultra-small angle neutron scattering (rheo-USANS) at conditions relevant to battery electrode casting. Different binder solution preparation methods, either a ball mill (BM) process or a planetary centrifugal mixing (PCM) process, dramatically modify the resulting polymer dynamics and organization around a silicon material. This is due to the different energy profiles of mixing where the more violent and higher energy PCM causes extensive breakdown and reformation of the binder, which is now likely in a branched conformation, while the lower energy BM results in simply lower molecular weight linear polymers. The break down and reorganization of the polymer structure affects silicon slurry homogeneity, which affects subsequent electrode architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Beth L Armstrong
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
| | - Ryan P Murphy
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology
| | - Luke Heroux
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
| | - Mathieu Doucet
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
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