Thesis
Correlating processing conditions to microstructural order and performance of lithium-ion battery electrodes
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Jun 2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000360
Abstract
The fabrication process of battery slurries into electrodes has been shown to impact final battery performance. While some fabrication steps have been studied, there is still a gap in understanding the influence of these steps on the slurry microstructure, the dried film microstructure and final electrode performance. In this study, two fabrication steps, coating and drying, are investigated for their influence on battery discharge capacity. Slurry and electrode microstructures are characterized by rheological measurements and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), respectively, and related to trends in discharge capacity. EDS elemental maps are processed through a radial distribution function to quantify the dried electrode microstructure. Through this analysis, the desired correlation between active material and conductive carbon particles for high discharge capacity was determined. Electrodes that produced the highest discharge capacities showed both short- and long-range order between active material and carbon particles. High shear rates allow for this microstructure to form by inducing strong hydrodynamic forces that lead to carbon dispersion. High temperature drying can also produce this structure by preventing time-dependent structural changes that occur for extended periods of time after shear. The results suggest the importance of both short- and long-range contacts between active material pieces and conductive carbon additive for optimal battery performance.
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Details
- Title
- Correlating processing conditions to microstructural order and performance of lithium-ion battery electrodes
- Creators
- Renee M. Saraka
- Contributors
- Nicolas J. Alvarez (Advisor)Maureen Han-Mei Tang (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xi, 66 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Chemical (and Biological) Engineering (1970-2026); College of Engineering (1970-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991014962543904721