Abstract: Provided herein is a method for preparing a battery electrode based on an aqueous slurry. The method disclosed herein has the advantage that an aqueous solvent can be used in the manufacturing process, which can save process time and facilities by avoiding the need to handle or recycle hazardous organic solvents. Therefore, costs are reduced by simplifying the total process. In addition, the batteries having the electrodes prepared by the method disclosed herein show impressive energy retention.

Abstract: Provided herein is a separator used for an electrochemical device such as a lithium-ion battery. The separator disclosed herein comprises a porous base material, and a protective porous layer coated on one or both surfaces of the porous base material disclosed herein, wherein the protective porous layer comprises an organic binder and an inorganic filler, and wherein the inorganic filler comprises a whisker-type material selected from the group consisting of Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2, ZrO2, BaOx, ZnO, CaCO3, TiN, AlN, MTiO3, K2O.nTiO2, Na2O.mTiO2, and combinations thereof, wherein x is 1 or 2; M is Ba, Sr or Ca; n is 1, 2, 4, 6 or 8; and m is 3 or 6. Also provided herein is a lithium-ion battery including the separator disclosed herein. The separator disclosed herein is excellent in terms of safety, ion permeability, and cycle characteristics.

Abstract: Provided herein is an anode slurry for lithium-ion batteries, comprising a silicon-based material, a porous carbon aerogel, a binder material, a carbon active material, and a solvent, wherein the porous carbon aerogel has an average pore size from about 80 nm to about 500 nm. The porous carbon aerogel in the anode slurry disclosed herein provides sufficient space for expansion of the silicon-based material during intercalation of lithium ions. Cracking of the silicon-containing anode layer is prevented.

Abstract: Provided herein is a separator used for an electrochemical device such as a lithium-ion battery. The separator disclosed herein comprises a porous base material, a first protective porous layer coated on one side of the porous base material, and a second protective porous layer coated on the other side of the porous base material, wherein the first protective porous layer comprises an organic binder and a first inorganic filler, and wherein the second protective porous layer comprises an organic binder and a second inorganic filler different from the first inorganic filler. Also provided herein is a lithium-ion battery including the separator disclosed herein. The separator disclosed herein is excellent in terms of safety, ion permeability, and cycle characteristics.

Abstract: Provided herein is electrode assembly for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, comprising at least one anode, at least one cathode and at least one separator interposed between the at least one anode and at least one cathode, wherein the at least one anode comprises an anode current collector and an anode electrode layer, and the at least one cathode comprises a cathode current collector and a cathode electrode layer, wherein each of the cathode and anode electrode layers independently has a void volume of less than 35%, and wherein each of the at least one cathode and anode independently has a peeling strength of 0.15 N/cm or more.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of drying an electrode assembly of lithium-ion battery, comprising drying the electrode assembly in two successive stages under vacuum at elevated temperature; filling the oven with hot, dry air or inert gas; repeating the steps of vacuum drying and gas filling several times. The method disclosed herein is particularly suitable for drying electrode assemblies using aqueous binders.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for recycling lithium-ion batteries in a polar solvent such as an aqueous media or water. The method disclosed herein isolates a mixture of anode and cathode materials from waste lithium-ion batteries. The separated electrode materials can easily be collected with high recovery rate, providing a rapid, efficient and low-cost method for recycling electrode materials from waste lithium-ion batteries.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of drying electrode assembly of lithium-ion battery, comprising the steps of vacuum drying the electrode assembly in an oven at elevated temperature; filling the oven with hot, dry air or inert gas; repeating the steps of vacuum drying and gas filling 2 or more times. The method disclosed herein can provide the electrode assembly having a water content of less than 20 ppm.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for preparing a surface modified cathode material for lithium-ion battery, wherein the cathode material comprises lithium multi-metal composite oxide particles capped with a thin film of an oxide of the metal, wherein the lithium multi-metal composite oxide is represented by Li1+zNixMnyCo1-x-yO2; and wherein z is from 0 to 0.2; x is from 0.35 to 0.8; y is from 0.1 to 0.45; and the metal is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Fe, Mn, Al, Mg, Zn, Ti, La, Ce, Sn, Zr, Ru and combination thereof. The cathode material disclosed herein exhibits a high initial specific capacity from 150 mAh/g to 200 mAh/g, possesses good safety characteristics and shows impressive energy retention of about 91% after 1000 cycles.

Abstract: Provided herein is a separator used for an electrochemical device such as a lithium-ion battery. The separator disclosed herein comprises a porous base material, and a protective porous layer coated on one or both surfaces of the porous base material disclosed herein, wherein the protective porous layer comprises an organic binder and an inorganic filler, and wherein a difference in tensile strength of the separator along the TD direction and MD direction is about 15% or less. Also provided herein is a lithium-ion battery including the separator disclosed herein. The separator disclosed herein is excellent in terms of safety, ion permeability, and cycle characteristics.

Abstract: Provided herein is a manufacturing method of a cathode for a lithium-ion battery. The method comprises pre-treating cathode material in an aqueous solution; dispersing the pre-treated cathode material, a conductive agent and a binder material in an aqueous solution to obtain a slurry; and coating the slurry onto a current collector to obtain the cathode. The slurry solvent used in the method disclosed herein is an aqueous solution. In addition, batteries comprising the cathode is able to retain at least about 83% of its initial storage capacity after 1,000 cycles at a rate of 1 C at room temperature in a full cell.

Abstract: Provided herein a method of preparing electrode assemblies for lithium-ion batteries. The method disclosed herein comprises a step of pre-drying separator in the battery manufacturing process before the stacking step, thereby significantly lowering the water content of the separator. Therefore, separators can be used to prepare electrode assemblies regardless of conditions under which they are stored or transported. In addition, the peeling strength between the porous base material and protective porous layer is largely unaffected by the drying process disclosed herein.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for preparing a cathode electrode based on an aqueous slurry. The invention provides a cathode slurry comprising a cathode material especially high Ni ternary cathode material with improved water stability. The cathode material shows lower tendencies for pH change when applied in the aqueous slurry. The lower processing temperatures may avoid the undesirable decomposition of cathode material having high nickel and/or manganese content. In addition, the batteries having the electrodes prepared by the method disclosed herein show impressive energy retention. The capacity retention of the battery is not less than 60% of its initial capacity after 2 weeks of high temperature storage.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for recycling lithium-ion batteries in a polar solvent such as an aqueous media or water. The method disclosed herein isolates a mixture of anode and cathode materials from waste lithium-ion batteries. The separated electrode materials can easily be collected with high recovery rate, providing a rapid, efficient and low-cost method for recycling electrode materials from waste lithium-ion batteries.