Anode for Lithium Secondary Battery and Manufacturing Method Thereof

Lithium Titanate Anode with Simultaneously Improved Conductivity and Binder Cross-linking via Electron Beam Irradiation

This technology improves electrical conductivity and charge-discharge performance by irradiating lithium titanate (LTO) or silicon anode active materials with an electron beam to induce changes in the crystal lattice and the generation of trapped electrons, while simultaneously cross-linking the polymer binder.

While lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12) offers excellent lifespan and safety, its electrical conductivity is inherently low, at around 10^-9 S/cm. This has historically led to significant initial capacity loss and poor rate capability.

This technology improves electrical conductivity by irradiating the anode active material itself or the slurry coating layer containing the active material with an electron beam at 0.5–10 MeV and 10–1000 kGy. This process induces chemical cross-linking of the polymer binder, strengthening the contact between the active material and the conductive agent. It can be applied to ESS for power grid frequency regulation requiring long lifespans, fast-charging batteries for electric buses, and auxiliary power sources for cold starting, thereby reinforcing high-rate charge-discharge capabilities while maintaining the inherent safety of LTO.

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Key Features:

• Anode active material layer containing lithium titanate, carbon-based materials such as carbon black or acetylene black, and a polymer binder
• Step of mixing electron-beam-irradiated lithium titanate with carbon-based materials and a polymer binder, then coating it onto a current collector
• Step of applying a mixture of lithium titanate, carbon-based materials, and a polymer binder onto a current collector, followed by electron beam irradiation
• Current collector made of copper or aluminum, featuring an anode active material layer with a thickness of 30 to 50㎛

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