Optimizing the surfactant for the aqueous processing of LiFePO4 composite electrodes

Aqueous processing would reduce the costs associated with the making of the composite electrode. To achieve the incorporation and the dispersion of the carbon black (CB) conductive agent in aqueous slurries, a surfactant is needed. In this paper, three surfactants are compared, an anionic one, the sodium dodecyle sulphate (SDS), a non-ionic one, the isooctylphenylether of polyoxyethylene called commercially Triton X-100 and a cationic one, the hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), by using rheology and laser granulometry measurements on electrode slurries on one hand, and SEM observations, porosity and adhesion measurements and electrochemical testing on composite electrodes on the other hand. Ionic surfactants were found to be not suitable because a corrosion of the aluminium current collector occurred. The utilization of Triton X-100 favoured a more homogeneous CB distribution, resulted in a better electronic wiring of the active material particles and higher rate behavior of the electrode. Optimal electrochemical performances are obtained for an optimal surfactant concentration which depends on the BET surface area of the CB powder.