Conductive elastomer-based electrode and manufacturing method thereof

Binder-free high-expansion active material electrode combining PUA gel electrolyte and electropolymerized polypyrrole network

This technology is an electrode structure that secures both physical elasticity and electrical connectivity by applying and curing a gel-type elastic electrolyte containing dispersed high-expansion active materials onto a conductive substrate, followed by the electropolymerization of conductive polymers within the electrolyte layer.

When using high-capacity, high-expansion active materials like silicon, the electrode structure often collapses during charge and discharge cycles due to volume changes, leading to increased interfacial resistance and the disruption of the conductive network.

This technology utilizes a polyurethane acrylate (PUA)-based gel electrolyte to absorb the expansion of active materials and employs electropolymerization to grow a conductive polymer network, such as polypyrrole, within the gel. This configuration maintains ionic and electronic conductivity without the need for binders or conductive additives. It is suitable for silicon-based high-capacity anodes and flexible batteries, preventing electrode cracking during repeated expansion while allowing for a higher proportion of active materials by eliminating auxiliary components.

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Key Features:

• PUA-based gel electrolyte obtained by adding PETA dropwise after the reaction of PUA raw material composition, followed by cross-linking with the addition of LiPF6 and AIBN
• Step of applying a conductive elastic electrolyte, in which high-expansion active materials and lithium salts are dispersed, onto a conductive substrate in an uncured state
• Electrolyte layer formed on the substrate by curing or semi-curing the applied conductive elastic electrolyte under heated conditions
• Electron-conductive polymer that forms a conductive network structure within the electrolyte layer through electropolymerization after immersion in a monomer-containing solution

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