Renewable lignocellulose based binders for advanced battery systems†

Abstract

As a crucial component of batteries, the binder connects the granular active material and the conductive additive into a whole electrode and attaches to the surface of the current collector through a variety of interactions to maintain the electron/ion transport and the integrity of the electrode during the charge–discharge cycles. However, conventional binders are mostly synthetic polymers with single structures and properties and are not renewable, thus the development of multifunctional green renewable binders derived from biomass materials is attracting increasing attention. The distribution and function of lignocellulose in plants are similar to those of binders in electrodes. They strengthen the structure of the plants via hydrogen bonding, π–π conjugation, hydrophobicity, etc., and maintain the diffusion and transport of molecules, aligning with the criteria for the next generation of battery binders. In the context of the significant impact of binders on the performance of advanced battery systems, recent progress in research on lignocellulose derivative-based binders in various batteries is summarized. The research potential and challenges of lignocellulose and its derivatives as binder materials are discussed, with the hope of shedding light on the rational construction of robust and stable lignocellulose-based binders for high-energy-density batteries.