NewSolef®GradesforBinderApplicationToouractualknowledge,theinformationcontainedhereinisaccurateasofthedateofthisdocument.HoweverneitherSolvaySolexisspa,noranyofitsaffiliatesmakesanywarranty,expressorimplied,oracceptsanyliabilityinconnectionwiththisinformationoritsuse.Thisinformationisforusebytechnicallyskilledpersonsattheirowndiscretionandriskanddoesnotrelatetotheuseofthisproductincombinationwithanyothersubstanceoranyotherprocess.Thisisnotalicenseunderanypatentorotherproprietaryright.Theuseralonemustfinallydeterminesuitabilityofanyinformationormaterialforanycontemplateduseincompliancewithapplicablelaw,themannerofuseandwhetheranypatentsareinfringed.Thisinformationgivestypicalpropertiesonlyandisnottobeusedforspecificationpurposes.SolvaySolexisspa,reservestherighttomakeadditions,deletionsormodificationstotheinformationatanytimewithoutpriornotification.Trademarksand/orotherSolvaySolexisspaproductsreferencedhereinareeithertrademarksorregisteredtrademarksofSolvaySolexisspaoritsaffiliates,unlessotherwiseindicated.2Solef®NewgradesforBinderApplicationSolvaySolexishasdevelopednewPVDFgradesinordertoimprovebinderperformancesinLithiumBatterieselectrodes,inparticularadhesionofactivematerialstometalcollectorandcohesionbetweenparticlesofactivematerial.TwonewgradesofSolef®arepresented:Solef®5130andSolef®5320.ThisDataSheetshowsmainpropertiesofthetwoproductsrelatedtobinderapplication;acomparisonwithstandardSolef®1013andSolef®6020asreferencesisalsoreported.AdhesionPropertiesThetargetfornewmaterialsistoincreaseadhesioninbinderapplicationinordertoobtainbetterperformancesoflithiumbatteriesevenwithaloweramountofPVDFintheelectrode.FollowinggraphshowsresultsobtainedondifferentcathodesamplespreparedwithSolef®PVDFgrades,carbonblackandLiCoO2asactivematerialanddriedat130°C.Adhesionofthecoatingtoaluminumfoilhasbeenmeasuredbyapeelingtest.Relativevalues,referredtoperformancesofSolef®6020asreference,arereportedinFig.1.02468101214160,00,20,40,60,81,01,2relativepolymerdrycontentrelativeadhesionSolef5130Solef5320Solef6020Solef1013Fig.1:Adhesionmeasuredoncathodeswithdifferentpolymerdrycontent.GoodresultsareobtainedwithnewSolef®grades:inparticularbyusingthesamePVDFcontentintheelectrodeitispossibletoachieveanadhesionhigherrespecttostandardSolef6020.ExcellentresultsareobtainedalsobyseverelyreducingPVDFdrycontentinthefinalelectrode.Thesametrendofadhesionresultshasbeenobtainedoncathodesdriedat80°C.3ProcessabilityViscosityofslurriescontainingPVDFandactivematerialsplaysakeyroleintheelectrodespreparation.ItispossibletoeasilycontrolthisparameterbyvaryingPVDFcontentorbychangingconcentrationofthefinalslurry.Severaltestshavebeenperformedincathodeslurrieswithastandardcompositionofactivematerials(LiCoO2andcarbonblack).ThegraphinFig.2showsacomparisonbetweenvaluesobtainedwithdifferentgradesofPVDF:viscosityofSolef®1013andSolef®6020slurrieshasbeenmaintainedasreferencefortherelativecomparisonwithnewgrades.0,00,51,01,52,02,53,00,00,20,40,60,81,01,2relativepolymercontentrelativeslurryviscositySolef5130Solef5320Solef6020Solef1013Fig.2:Slurryviscositymeasuredinslurrieswithdifferentpolymercontent.InparticularthetwonewgradesgiveadifferentslurryprocessabilitycomparedtostandardgradesSolef®1013andSolef®6020.Thankstoimprovedadhesionproperties,asshowninfollowingparagraph,viscositiesclosertostandardreferencesareeasilyachievedforinstancebyreducingPVDFcontentintheelectrodeorbyslightlydilutingtheslurry.ThermalPropertiesDSCdatasreferto2ndmeltingcurveaftercrystallizationof1strunningcurve.ThecurveitselfisusedtoextractdatassuchasTm(°C)andfusionenthalpy,dHf(J/g).CrystallinityindexcanbeestimatedbydividingdHfbythefusionenthalpyofa100%theoreticalcrystallinePVDF.Solef®gradeMeltingpointandcrystallinityRelativeadhesionTm(°C)a.u.513016114.153201625.610131730.6602017014IntrinsicviscosityValuesofintrinsicviscosityhavebeenextrapolatedfromviscositydataofDMFsolutions,measuredwithUbbelohdeviscosimeterat25°C.Resultsarereportedinfollowingtable.IntrinsicviscosityRelativeadhesionSolef®grade(dl/g)a.u.51303.114.153202.05.610131.40.660202.11DissolutiontimeinNMPDissolutiontimeisanimportantparameterlinkedtoPVDFprocessabilityinsolution.TimesnecessarytoobtainaclearsolutioninNMPat8%weightand50°Carereportedinfollowingtable.PowdershavebeenslowlyaddedtoNMPsolutions(1g/min)undermagneticstirring.LowspeedofpowderadditionandlowconcentrationofPVDFinNMPcanreducedissolutiontime;alsogeometryofstirrerhaveastronginfluenceondissolutionprocessandtime.DissolutiontimeRelativeadhesionSolef®gradeTime(min)a.u.513010514.15320505.61013120.66020501ViscosityinNMPsolutionSolef®PVDFhomopolymerssuchas1013and6020andnewexperimentalgradesarewelldissolvedbysolventsasdimethylformamide(DMF),dimethylacetamide(DMAc)orN-methylpyrrolidone(NMP),typicallyutilizedinLithiumBatteriesmanufacturingprocesses.PVDFtypeandmolecularweight,concentrationofthesolutionandtemperaturearekeyfactorsindetermingthesolutionviscosityasindicatedbelow,inthecaseofNMPsolutions.Shearratecanbeafactorabove10s-1,especiallyforultrahighmolecularweightsuchasSolef®6020andSolef®