Aqueous Processing of High-Loading LNMO Electrodes for High-Energy Lithium Batteries

Abstract

Transitioning toward more sustainable materials and production methods has been one of the most critical points for expanding the lithium-ion battery (LIB) market in the last decade. At the same time, energy storage applications require high energy density and high power with demanding performance targets such as wide operating voltage and fast charging capabilities. Along with these high-performance requirements, environmental concerns such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS)-based binders, organic solvents for electrode manufacturing, critical raw materials in the positive electrode (cathode), and mining conditions are a few of the many issues in LIB manufacturing that need to be addressed urgently by the R&D community. To tackle the abovementioned issues, engineering the cathode from material selection to production scale is key. In this study, we develop PFAS-free, aqueous processing of high loading—6.2 mAh cm⁻²—LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ (LNMO) on an industrial pilot line, aiming to bridge the gap between research and industry on sustainable and thick cathode manufacturing.