Low-environmental-impact binder systems are required
for lithium-ion
battery electrodes that exhibit good cohesive and adhesive strengths,
flexibility, optimized microstructures for ions, and electronic conductivities.
In this work, carrageenan gum is employed as a green binder system
for graphite-SiO
x
anodes of various physical
characteristics (porosity and active mass). A simple current interrupt
test is used to elucidate the contributing ohmic and charge transfer
resistances, showing increase in both, related to the mass loading,
porosity, and state of charge. The contribution of SiO
x
to the reversible capacity was observed to fade
in the first 20–30 cycles. To describe the cycle life, an empirical
model that directly relates the porosity and mass loading to the cycle
life is presented. A relationship between the physical and electrochemical
properties has been explored to achieve maximum cycle life. This method
may enable faster screening of electrode formulations and prediction
of cycle life of this and other electrode types.