"Water processing offers multiple advantages... It largely reduces CO2 emissions and costs."
Alberto Varzi from KIT shared insights into their contributions to the project, particularly in the realm of electrode development using water-processable binders. Let´s delve into the conversation to explore the intricacies of their research and its potential impact.
Partnering with institutions like the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), we delve into innovative approaches to tackle environmental concerns while advancing energy storage technologies. In a recent interview, Alberto Varzi from KIT shared insights into their contributions to the project, particularly in the realm of electrode development using water-processable binders. Let´s delve into the conversation to explore the intricacies of their research and its potential impact.
- What are the peculiarities of water processing?
Water processing offers multiple advantages. The first is certainly the reduced environmental impact. In fact, compared to NMP, water is not only harmless and largely available, but it also dries much faster, meaning less energy is required for the electrode production. This largely reduces CO2 emissions and costs. It must be also pointed out that the electrode manufacturing process is substantially simplified. Indeed, the complex and costly solvent recovery systems needed to avoid dispersion in the environment of the toxic and expensive NMP become unnecessary. Last but not least, water processing can potentially facilitate the direct recycling of active materials from spent devices and production scrap.
- What type of binders are you developing in MUSIC?
In MUSIC we are developing fluorine-free binder formulations based on polysaccharides. These are water-soluble natural or bio-derived compounds largely employed in the food and cosmetic industry. They are also becoming increasingly popular for electrode manufacturing, with carboxymethycellulose (CMC) being already an established binder for the production LIBs negative electrodes. Our goal is to chemically modify such binders to overcome their major drawback, which is the shrinkage upon drying leading to cracks formation and delamination of the active layer from the current collector, especially in very thick electrodes. Our approach involves the use of cross-linkers to improve the binder-active material and binder-current collector interaction to enable mechanically and electrochemically stable electrodes without the need of any petrochemically-derived synthetic rubberizer such as styrene-butadiene (SBR).
Alberto Varzi´s elucidation sheds light on the promising avenues within the MUSIC project. Through the utilization of water-processable binders and sustainable electrode recipes, we aim not only to enhance the performance of sodium-ion capacitors but also to minimize environmental footprint. The commitment to innovation and sustainability exemplified by KIT and other project partners underscores our collective dedication to shaping a greener, more efficient energy landscape. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our journey towards a more sustainable future.