A breakthrough in dry electrode technology for High-Energy-Density Lithium-Ion batteries with Spray-Dried SWCNT/NCM Composites

Abstract

The performance of lithium-ion batteries is highly dependent on the distribution of conductive additives and the formation of an electrical network within the electrode. In particular, in dry electrode processes, the uniform dispersion of conductive additives is challenging, potentially leading to decreased battery performance. In this study, we successfully synthesized a single-walled carbon nanotubes/LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂(NCM) composite (SW-SPD) by uniformly coating the NCM surface with single-walled carbon nanotubes using a spray-drying process to address this issue. Despite having 10 times less conductive additive compared to carbon black, the SW-SPD electrode exhibited excellent electrical conductivity and electrochemical performance, maintaining a high capacity of 137.39 mAh/g even at a 2C discharge rate. Additionally, at the high areal capacity of the electrode with 7 mAh/cm², the electrode demonstrated significant long-term cycling performance, retaining 89.4 % of its capacity after 100 cycles, and 52.2 % after 500 cycles. SW-SPD offers an innovative solution to the dispersion challenges in dry electrode fabrication processes, presenting significant potential for the development of high-performance batteries.