UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Structured aqueous processed lignin-based NMC cathodes for energy-dense LIBs with improved rate capability

Bryntesen, SN; Finne, PH; Svensson, AM; Shearing, PR; Tolstik, N; Sorokina, IT; Vinje, J; ... Burheim, OS; + view all (2023) Structured aqueous processed lignin-based NMC cathodes for energy-dense LIBs with improved rate capability. Journal of Materials Chemistry A , 11 (12) pp. 6483-6502. 10.1039/d2ta08606a. Green open access

[thumbnail of d2ta08606a.pdf]
Preview
Text
d2ta08606a.pdf - Published Version

Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract

The cost and environmental impact of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) can be reduced substantially by enabling the aqueous processing of cathode materials. For the first time, we fabricate high-density, thick NMC111 cathode coatings using water as a solvent, and bio-derived kraft lignin as a binder material. The performance deterioration at high discharge currents is amplified by high mass loading and low bulk porosity. At porosities higher than 60%, the electronic conductivity limits the rate capability of the cathode, while for porosities lower than 30%, ionic conduction causes significant ionic polarization and consequently diminishes rate performance. The underlying lithium-ion diffusion limitation at current densities higher than 0.2 C is mitigated by creating line structures on the surface of the cathode. Structuring the half-dried cathode surface with ceramic blades is preferred over a stamp-like silicon wafer, and the line structures are easier to produce with high mechanical stability in comparison to pit structures. The lignin/water cells investigated herein restore after undergoing rate capability tests (5C), except those with pit structures or ultra-high thickness (>200 μm), due to the extensive crack formation during water evaporation which causes poor mechanical stability. Mechanical and laser structuring methods are compared on the surface of a PVDF/NMP-based cathode. Concerning the implementation in a large-scale battery factory, mechanical structuring is currently considered a processing of choice as it has no surface residuals or waste material. However, laser structuring with ultra-short pulses technique has the potential of outperforming mechanical structuring if the process is optimized to high precision to reduce residual and waste material, due to reproducibility and lower operational costs.

Type: Article
Title: Structured aqueous processed lignin-based NMC cathodes for energy-dense LIBs with improved rate capability
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1039/d2ta08606a
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1039/d2ta08606a
Language: English
Additional information: This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Chemical Engineering
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10167359
Downloads since deposit
0Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item