PFI:AIR - TT: Scale-up Dry-Powder based Additive Manufactured Electrodes to Lower the Cost of Li-ion Batteries

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This PFI:Accelerating Innovation Research Technology Translation project focuses on development of a dry powder, roll-to-roll process for manufacturing battery electrodes to replace slurry-based electrode manufacture. This is an additive manufacturing process to be used for the fabrication of Li-ion batteries. The technology is important because it eliminates slurry production, coating, and drying operations from lithium ion battery manufacturing as well as the need to recover and/or dispose of solvent. This has the potential to reduce the capital and operating cost of a battery plant.This project addresses the following technology gaps as it translates from research discovery toward commercial application. (1) Adhesion and cohesion properties of electrodes. With the removal of solvent in additive manufacturing process, the dispersion of the binder materials among other materials can be challenging, which compromises cohesion and adhesion properties. Research will be done to optimize the mixing process, the sequence of adding powders, and the powder dispensing process, in order to achieve uniformly distributed binder, which could lead to high adhesion and cohesion. (2) Electrochemical properties. With the removal of solvent, the manufactured electrode could exhibit structure difference in porosity, tortuosity and pore size, which could affect the electrochemical properties. A detailed study and optimization of each step during the additive manufacturing process, including multi-nozzle spray process and subsequent hot rolling/heat treatments, will be conducted to ensure comparable performance with conventional electrodes. Personnel involved in this project, two graduate students, will receive innovation and entrepreneurship experiences through taking business courses offered at their respective institutions and participating in NSF I-Corps.