US 12,347,861 B2
Compositions and methods for electrode fabrication
Michael Wixom, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Bob Sosik, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and Pu Zhang, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to Navitas Systems, LLC, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Appl. No. 16/300,701
Filed by Navitas Systems, LLC, Woodridge, IL (US)
PCT Filed May 12, 2017, PCT No. PCT/US2017/032465
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 12, 2018,
PCT Pub. No. WO2017/197299, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 16, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/335,257, filed on May 12, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0313191 A1, Oct. 1, 2020
Int. Cl. H01M 4/62 (2006.01); H01M 4/04 (2006.01); H01M 4/139 (2010.01)
CPC H01M 4/621 (2013.01) [H01M 4/043 (2013.01); H01M 4/139 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for forming a free-standing electrochemically active film suitable for use in a cathode comprising:
combining a carbon based processing additive with conductive carbon, and one of an active electrode material suitable for use in a cathode or polytetrafluoroethylene binder to form an electrode precursor material, wherein said processing additive is configured to fibrilize the binder, wherein said processing additive is not activated carbon, and wherein said processing additive comprises a surface roughness and a porosity;
intermixing by blending said electrode precursor material;
combining said electrode precursor material with the other of said polytetrafluoroethylene binder or said active electrode material;
intermixing by blending said polytetrafluoroethylene binder or said active electrode material with said electrode precursor material to form an electrode film material wherein said electrode film material comprises said processing additive, said polytetrafluoroethylene binder and said active electrode material;
wherein said processing additive and said binder are intermixed by high shear mixing such that said processing additive fibrillizes said binder sufficiently to form a free-standing electrode film, and wherein said intermixing is in the absence of a solvent at greater than weight 1%; and
compressing said electrode film material into the free-standing electrode film suitable for use in a cathode.