Tape casting manufacturing of thick Li4Ti5O12 ceramic electrodes with high areal capacity for lithium-ion batteries

In this work we report the preparation of additive-free ceramic Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) electrodes with high thickness (similar to 250 mu m) by the conventional tape casting method followed by binder removal and sintering. By optimizing the sintering process, high porosity (25-35 %), needed for a good electrolyte wetting, was achieved. In addition, the use of an Ar/H-2 reducing atmosphere during the thermal treatments increases the required electronic conductivity of the sintered electrode due to the combination of a carbon coating coming from incomplete binder decomposition and the partially reduction of Ti4+. Due to the absence of binders, the final electrode has almost 100 wt % active material, leading to very high volumetric (250 mA h cm(-3)) and areal (6 - 8 mA h cm(-2)) capacifies. This process paves the way for large-scale production of thick electrodes with applications in all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs), leading to more safety lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

Automated summary

This work demonstrates the preparation of additive-free ceramic Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) electrodes with high thickness by optimizing the sintering process and using a reducing atmosphere. The absence of binders in the final electrode leads to very high volumetric and areal capacities, paving the way for large-scale production of thick electrodes for applications in all-solid-state batteries, improving the safety of lithium-ion batteries.