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Enabling Ultrathick Electrodes Via a Microcasting Process for High Energy and Power Density Lithium-Ion Batteries
Advanced Energy Materials
  • Tazdik Patwary Plateau
  • Hiep Pham
  • Yaqi Zhu
  • Ming-Chuan Leu, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Jonghyun Park, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Abstract

Thickening electrodes is one effective approach to increase active material content for higher energy and low-cost lithium-ion batteries, but limits in charge transport and huge mechanical stress generation result in poor performance and eventual cell failure. This paper reports a new electrode fabrication process, referred to as µ-casting, enabling ultrathick electrodes that address the trade-off between specific capacity and areal/volumetric capacity. The proposed µ-casting is based on a patterned blade, enabling facile fabrication of 3D electrode structures. The study reveals the governing properties of µ-casted ultrathick electrodes and how this simultaneously improves battery energy/power performance. The process facilitates a short diffusion path structure that minimizes intercalation-induced stress, improving energy density and cell stability. This work also investigates the issues with structural integrity, porosity, and paste rheology, and also analyzes mechanical properties due to external force. The µ-casting enables an ultrathick electrode (≈280 µm) that more effectively utilizes NMC-811 (LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2) cathode and mesocarbon microbeads anode active materials compared to conventional thick electrodes, allowing high-mass loading (35.7 mg cm−2), 40% higher specific capacity, and 30% higher areal capacity after 200 cycles, high C-rate performance, and longer cycle life.

Department(s)
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Comments

National Science Foundation, Grant CMMI 1917055

Keywords and Phrases
  • electrode architectures,
  • electrode structure engineering,
  • ion-transfer kinetics,
  • short diffusion path design,
  • thick electrodes
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2023 Wiley; Wiley-VCH Verlag, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
10-1-2022
Publication Date
01 Oct 2022
Citation Information
Tazdik Patwary Plateau, Hiep Pham, Yaqi Zhu, Ming-Chuan Leu, et al.. "Enabling Ultrathick Electrodes Via a Microcasting Process for High Energy and Power Density Lithium-Ion Batteries" Advanced Energy Materials Vol. 12 Iss. 38 (2022) ISSN: 1614-6840; 1614-6832
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ming-leu/421/