Toward More Sustainable Rechargeable Aqueous Batteries Using Plasma-Treated Cellulose-Based Li-Ion Electrodes
Jacopo Profili, Steeve Rousselot, Erica Tomassi, Elsa Briqueleur, David Aymé‐Perrot, Luc Stafford, Mickaël Dollé
Abstract
The use of water-soluble biobased binders (e.g., carboxymethylcellulose, CMC) in electrodes for aqueous Li-ion battery systems is typically impossible due to their inherent hydrophilicity that leads to a dissolution of the electrode and thus to a loss of mechanical cohesion and electronic percolation. To circumvent such limitations, a new composite electrode architecture made of water-soluble, biobased binders (CMC) protected by a thin membrane obtained in a nonthermal plasma at atmospheric pressure is reported. Using LiFePO4 as the environmental benign electrode material, it is shown that plasma-modified electrodes provide a stable reversible redox capacity for more than 85 days in a 1 mol/kg LiC2F6NO4S2 (LiTFSI) aqueous electrolyte. This novel architecture implies ecofriendly electrode manufacturing processes as well as substantial cost reduction of the whole battery system. This work represents the first step toward more sustainable aqueous Li-ion batteries.