Challenges in Solvent-Free Methods for Manufacturing Electrodes and Electrolytes for Lithium-Based Batteries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Lithium battery manufacturing faces challenges with cost and environmental impact due to solvent-based methods.
• The solvent-casting method, commonly used, involves toxic solvents and high energy consumption for evaporation and recycling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review solvent-free manufacturing processes for solid polymer electrolytes and composite electrodes in lithium batteries.
• To highlight alternatives to traditional solvent-casting methods for improved sustainability and cost-efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Overview of heat-based processes: hot-pressing, melt processing, dissolution into melted polymer, and incorporation of melted polymer into particles.
• Overview of spray-based processes: electrospray deposition and high-pressure deposition.
• Focus on techniques applicable to solid electrolyte and electrode fabrication.

Main Results:

• Heat-based processes are suitable for both solid electrolyte and electrode manufacturing.
• Spray-based processes are primarily used for electrode fabrication.
• Hot-pressing and melt processing are identified as the most versatile and widely adopted solvent-free techniques for electrolytes and electrodes.

Conclusions:

• Solvent-free manufacturing offers a pathway to cost-effective and environmentally friendly lithium batteries.
• Hot-pressing and melt processing demonstrate significant potential for scalable production of advanced battery components.
• These methods support the processing of diverse filler materials, enabling tailored battery performance.