Behavior of lithiated graphite electrodes comprising silica based binder

Graphite electrodes comprising silica binder were tested in ethylene carbonate-dimethyl carbonate (EC-DMC), propylene carbonate and tetrahydrofuran solutions. The electrochemical behavior of these electrodes was analyzed using chronopotentiometry, slow-scan rate cyclic voltammetry (SSCV), impedance spectroscopy and potentiostatic intermittent titration technique (PITT). The electrode morphology and integrity were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Using silica binder, graphite particles are usually embedded in the current collector in an unoriented form. Thus, the electroanalytical study of these electrodes and the comparison of their response with that of highly oriented PVDF based graphite electrodes, provided insight into the effect of particle orientation on the general electrochemical behavior of lithiated graphite anodes. In general, the higher the particle orientation and compact packing in the electrodes' active mass, the better the performance of the Li-graphite electrodes, as the surface films developed are better passivating and the interparticle electronic contact is also better. The silica binder may have advantages over other binders such as PVDF in its ability to better retain the electrode integrity upon cycling. However, the practical use of such electrodes requires further optimization, especially in connection with particle orientation and compact packing.