Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Item
    An efficient two-polymer binder for high-performance silicon nanoparticle-based lithium-ion batteries: A systematic case study with commercial polyacrylic acid and polyvinyl butyral polymers
    (Pennington, NJ : Electrochemical Society Inc., 2019) Urbanski, A.; Omar, A.; Guo, J.; Janke, A.; Reuter, U.; Malanin, M.; Schmidt, F.; Jehnichen, D.; Holzschuh, M.; Simon, F.; Eichhorn, K.-J.; Giebeler, L.; Uhlmann, P.
    Silicon is one of the most promising anode materials for high energy density lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity and natural abundance. Unfortunately, significant challenges arise due to the large volume change of silicon upon lithiation/delithiation which inhibit its broad commercialization. An advanced binder can, in principle, reversibly buffer the volume change, and maintain strong adhesion toward various components as well as the current collector. In this work, we present the first report on the applicability of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) polymer as a binder component for silicon nanoparticles-based LIBs. Characteristic binder properties of commercial PVB and polyacrylic acid (PAA) polymers are compared. The work focuses on polymer mixtures of PVB polymers with PAA, for an improved binder composition which incorporates their individual advantages. Different ratios of polymers are systematically studied to understand the effect of particular polymer chains, functional groups and mass fractions, on the electrochemical performance. We demonstrate a high-performance polymer mixture which exhibits good binder-particle interaction and strong adhesion to Cu-foil. PAA/PVB-based electrode with a Si loading of ∼1 mg/cm2 tested between 0.01 and 1.2 V vs. Li/Li+ demonstrate specific capacities as high as 2170 mAh/g after the first hundred cycles. © The Author(s) 2019.
  • Item
    Influence of the hydrophobicity of polyelectrolytes on polyelectrolyte complex formation and complex particle structure and shape
    (Basel : MDPI AG, 2011) Mende, M.; Schwarz, S.; Zschoche, S.; Petzold, G.; Janke, A.
    Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) were prepared by structural uniform and strongly charged cationic and anionic modified alternating maleic anhydride copolymers. The hydrophobicity of the polyelectrolytes was changed by the comonomers (ethylene, isobutylene and styrene). Additionally, the n -/n + ratio of the molar charges of the polyelectrolytes and the procedure of formation were varied. The colloidal stability of the systems and the size, shape, and structure of the PEC particles were investigated by turbidimetry, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Dynamic light scattering indicates that beside large PEC particle aggregates distinct smaller particles were formed by the copolymers which have the highest hydrophobicity (styrene). These findings could be proved by AFM. Fractal dimension (D), root mean square (RMS) roughness and the surface profiles of the PEC particles adsorbed on mica allow the following conclusions: the higher the hydrophobicity of the polyelectrolytes, the broader is the particle size distribution and the minor is the swelling of the PEC particles. Hence, the most compact particles are formed with the very hydrophobic copolymer.