2025-8-19：祝贺21级博士研究生周金伟研究论文在Advanced Energy Materials (IF 26)发表,吴飞翔教授获Wiley 2025 Rising Stars !
发布时间：2025-08-19
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Biologically Insoluble Binder for High-Performance Cathodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Jinwei Zhou1, Siyao Wu1, Qihou Li1, Feixiang Wu1, *
Abstract
Binders are vital for maintaining structural integrity and stability of electrodes in rechargeable batteries. The system of soluble polyvinylidene fluoride in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) is commonly used for commercial cathodes in Li-ion batteries. However, this system has remaining issues, including reliance on the toxic NMP solvent, weak van der Waals bonding, and obnoxious swelling in liquid organic electrolytes, causing difficulty in electrode manufacture and deterioration of mechanical properties during cycles. Herein, inspired by the artificial fishing bait, an eco-friendly and renewable wheat gluten (WG) derived from biomass wheat is utilized as a versatile insoluble binder for battery cathodes. Little water molecules can act as switches for adhesive properties of WG, demonstrating insoluble characteristics, robust hydrogen-bonding capabilities, and a uniform elastic network coating that serves as an effective artificial interphase on cathode materials. Additionally, this binder not only stabilizes the electrolyte by inhibiting and scavenging free radicals but also maintains its rigid mechanical properties in the electrolyte without swelling, resulting in a rather stable microenvironment for active particles, and demonstrating stable cycling performance over 500 cycles of various cathodes such as LiCoO2, LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 and LiFePO4. This bio-renewable, water-insoluble and low-cost protein binder offers a promising pathway for advancing high-specific-energy cathode technologies.
Keywords: Biomass; Lithium-ion batteries; Binder; Cathode; Swelling;