Biobased binders for lithium-ion batteries (BeBAT)

Lead Institute AT Institute of Agricultural Technology

BeBAT

Because of high energy density, light weight and a high cycle stability, lithium-ion batteries are becoming increasingly important in the field of electric mobility and in the stationary storage of electrical energy. In order to improve their manufacturing process and reduce environmental impact of these batteries, we develop epoxy-based binder from renewable resources as a component for the coating of the electrodes.

Background and Objective

Lithium-ion batteries have become indispensable in many areas of our lives. In their production active materials, which are responsible for the electrochemical energy storage,are processed with a binder and a solvent to a liquid, pastey mixture. This so-called slurry is subsequently applied to the copper and aluminum sheets and dried. They form the electrodes, the two main components of batteries.

The currently used binder for copper foils is based on the highly resilient polymer polyvinylidene fluoride which is quite expensive, can only be dissolved in a few solvents and shows some mechanical issues in battery applications. Another issue is the widely used toxic solvent N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, which has been classified to be of very high concern by the European Chemicals Agency. Therefore producers have to comply with very strict regulatory requirements during electrode manufacturing for reasons of work safety and environmental protection.

Our project proposal aims to develop an alternative, bio-based binder for lithium-ion batteries. For this we synthesize bio-based epoxy resins that require no or a less harmful solvent to simultaneously increase the functionality, safety and environmental performance of lithium-ion batteries. The starting materials for the bio-based binder must be chosen carefully. One challenge is that raw materials must be selected and to modify that the subsequent production steps and the battery performance are not affected.

Approach

The starting compounds are unsaturated biobased compounds e.g. Fats and oils, used and modified for use as epoxy binder for electrode material. Optimization of the responsiveness, the setting behavior and the chemical, mechanical and electrical stability shell be done. Based on the results we process selected binder systems in pre industrial scale to electrode sheets and test them for their suitability.

Results

Thünen-Contact

Storz, Henning

AT Institute of Agricultural Technology

Funding Body

Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR)
(national, öffentlich)

Duration

9.2015 - 10.2018

More Information

Project funding number: 22006415
Funding program: FNR
Project status: finished

Funding Body:

Publications on the project

0
Jeske H, Kandula M, Stammen E, Storz H, Wolter C (2019) Schlussbericht zum Verbundvorhaben "Entwicklung von epoxid-basierten Bindern auf Basis nachwachsender Rohstoffe für den Einsatz in Lithium-Ionen-Batterien (BeBAT)" : Laufzeit: 01.11.2015 bis 31.10.2018. Braunschweig: Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, 42 p
https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn061865.pdf
1
Kandula M, Jeske H, Stammen E, Storz H, Dilger K (2018) Bio-Based epoxy adhesives as alternative for lithium ion battery binders. In: in-adhesives : Symposium on innovations in adhesives and their applications. Kirchseeon: MKVS, pp 93-102

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