Replacement of NMP solvent for more sustainable, high-capacity, printed Li-ion battery cathodes

The production methods of Li-ion batteries need to be adapted for the goals of a more sustainable future. This research focuses on replacing toxic NMP with less harmful solvents, without compromising the batteries' performance. In this research, the novel NCM88 material has been used to fabricate the cathode layers of Li-ion batteries. Two fabrication methods (blade coating and screen printing) and two different slurry/ink formulations (NMP- and DMF-based) have been analysed. Results indicate that screen-printed cathodes fabricated with DMF-based slurries perform similarly to those fabricated through blade-coating NMP slurries.