A group at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, led by Yan Wang, has established a solvent-free, cost-effective procedure for producing lithium-ion battery electrodes that charge faster than those currently on the marketplace.
New making method takes on a crucial barrier challenging the electrical vehicle sector.
A research group led by Yan Wang, a researcher from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), has pioneered a solvent-free methodology for the production of lithium-ion battery electrodes. This unique approach yields greener, more affordable, and quicker-charging electrodes compared to those presently offered, potentially reinventing battery production for electric vehicles.
The team revealed a dry-print manufacturing technique in the journal Joule, which prevents the use of damaging solvents and comprehensive drying periods inherent in standard electrode production approaches that make use of slurries. Wang, holding the position of WPI William B. Smith Deans Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, stated that this ingenious process is scalable and could potentially reduce electrode production costs by as much as 15%. Furthermore, the electrodes produced through this technique can charge at a much faster rate than those developed using traditional techniques.
” Current lithium-ion batteries charge too slowly, and manufacturers generally utilize flammable, hazardous, and costly solvents that increase the time and expense of production,” Wang stated. “Our solvent-free manufacturing procedure addresses those downsides by producing electrodes that charge to 78 percent of capacity in 20 minutes, all without the requirement for solvents, slurries, and long production times.”
Wang, holding the position of WPI William B. Smith Deans Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, specified that this innovative process is scalable and could potentially decrease electrode production costs by as much as 15%. Wang has actually long been focused on improving lithium-ion batteries and reducing the waste they develop. Wangs electrode manufacturing work has been funded by the Department of Energy with the United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC and the Massachusetts Clean Energy. Partners on the task included Yangtao Liu 22 (Ph.D.), graduate trainee Jinzhao Fu, Assistant Research Professor Xiaotu Ma, Panawan Vanaphuti 22 (Ph.D.), and Rui Wang 23 (Ph.D.), all of WPI; and researchers at Texas A&M University, Rice University, Microvast Inc., Argonne National Laboratory, and Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute scientist Yan Wang. Credit: Matt Burgos
Business lithium-ion battery electrodes are typically made by mixing active products, conductive ingredients, polymers, and organic solvents to produce a slurry that is pasted onto a metal substrate, dried in an oven, and cut into pieces for usage in batteries. The solvents are recovered through distillation.
The scientists procedure, in contrast, involved mixing together dry powders that were electrically charged so they would adhere when sprayed onto a metal substrate. The dry-coated electrodes were then heated and compressed with rollers. Skipping the conventional drying and solvent-recovery process cut battery manufacturing energy usage by an approximated 47 percent, the scientists reported.
Referral: “Roll-to-roll solvent-free manufactured electrodes for fast-charging batteries” by Yangtao Liu, Xiangtao Gong, Chinmoy Podder, Fan Wang, Zeyuan Li, Jianzhao Liu, Jinzhao Fu, Xiaotu Ma, Panawan Vanaphuti, Rui Wang, Andrew Hitt, Yavuz Savsatli, Zhenzhen Yang, Mingyuan Ge, Wah-Keat Lee, Bryan Yonemoto, Ming Tang, Heng Pan and Yan Wang, 10 May 2023, Joule.DOI: 10.1016/ j.joule.2023.04.006.
Wang has long been concentrated on enhancing lithium-ion batteries and decreasing the waste they create. He co-founded Ascend Elements, a business that is developing battery recycling innovations. Wangs electrode manufacturing work has been moneyed by the Department of Energy with the United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Partners on the task included Yangtao Liu 22 (Ph.D.), graduate student Jinzhao Fu, Assistant Research Professor Xiaotu Ma, Panawan Vanaphuti 22 (Ph.D.), and Rui Wang 23 (Ph.D.), all of WPI; and researchers at Texas A&M University, Rice University, Microvast Inc., Argonne National Laboratory, and Brookhaven National Laboratory.
WPI has actually submitted a patent application on the manufacturing innovation established by Wangs team. In addition, Wang and among his partners, Heng Pan of Texas A&M University, co-founded AM Batteries Inc., a venture-backed business that is working with Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) and other business to scale up solvent-free electrode production.