The electrode binder is one of the important functional auxiliary materials in a lithium-ion battery. It contributes no capacity and accounts for only a small proportion of the battery, yet it is the main source of the mechanical properties of the whole electrode and strongly influences the electrode production process and the electrochemical performance of the battery.
A lithium-ion battery binder is a polymer compound whose main role is to bind the active material, the conductive agent and the current collector together so that they form an integrated whole, reducing the impedance of the electrode while giving the electrode sheet good mechanical properties and good processability.
Requirements for battery electrode binders
An ideal lithium-ion battery electrode binder should have the following properties:
● Good solubility, fast dissolution and high solubility;
● A safe, environmentally friendly, non-toxic solvent - water is best;
● High molecular weight so that only a small amount of binder is needed;
● Moderate viscosity, for easy slurry mixing and stable slurry;
● Strong adhesion, giving the electrode high peel strength;
● Electrochemically stable, with no redox reaction within the operating voltage range;
● Resistant to electrolyte corrosion;
● Sufficient flexibility to withstand electrode bending and volume changes of the active material particles;
● Good electrical and lithium-ion conductivity;
● Widely available and low in cost.