Fabrication of high-capacity NMC cathodes using spray printing technique

Abstract

<div lang="en" class="abs"><p class="abs_header">Abstract</p><p>While current Li-ion liquid electrolyte batteries provide satisfactory performance, there is a growing need for more adaptable and sustainable fabrication methods. Among the available printing methods, spray coating stands out as exceptionally adjustable, enabling easy up- and down-scaling, high-resolution features (down to tens of μm ), 3D compatibility, and the use of a wide range of ink formulations, including those containing large particles (>5 μm). Moreover, spray coating generates little waste, making it a fully sustainable fabrication process that is also suitable for solid-electrolyte deposition. In this study, spray coating was used to fabricate LiNi_0.88Mn_0.03C0_0.09O₂ (NMC88) cathodes using dimethylformamide (DMF) ink instead of the toxic N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). The printed cathodes had a relatively low roughness (R_q 3.4 μm and R_a 2.7 μm) prior to calendering, as revealed by morphological analysis. Coin cells and pouch cells were then prepared using the fabricated cathodes for electrochemical characterization. The pouch cells demonstrated very repeatable behavior and 15 % capacity fade after 1000 cycles.</p></div>