Electrochemical performance of Li-ion batteries assembled with water-processable electrodes

• Poly vinyl acetate (Vinavil) was used as a binder for the manufacturing of cathodes
• Poly styrene acrylate (Pattex PL 50) was used as a binder the manufacturing of anodes
• LiFePO4 and MCMB graphite were used as the cathode and anode active materials
• A Li-ion battery was discharged at C/10 rate providing about 256 Wh kg− 1
• A specific power in excess of 1000 W kg− 1 was calculated at 5C rate

This paper describes the preparation and electrochemical characterization of Li-ion batteries prepared with electrodes containing non-fluorinated water dispersible polymers as electrode binders. Two commercial adhesives based on polyvinyl acetate and polystyrene acrylate, were used as the positive and negative electrode binders, respectively. The main advantages to using these polymers are related to their low cost, large diffusion, and negligible toxicity. Furthermore, since the polymers are water dispersible their use allows replacing the organic solvent, employed to dissolve the fluorinated polymer normally used as the binder in lithium battery technology, with water. In such a way it is possible to decrease the hazardousness of the preparation process as well as the production costs of both the electrodes. In the paper the preparation, characterization and the electrochemical performance of the Li-ion batteries obtained by coupling the two electrodes are described.