%0 Journal Article
%K Polymers
%K Secondary cells
%K Electrochemical electrodes
%K Additives
%K Composite materials
%K Electrical conductivity
%K Electron microscopy
%K Nanostructured materials
%A Gao Liu
%A Honghe Zheng
%A S Kim
%A Yonghong Deng
%A Andrew M Minor
%A Xiangyun Song
%A Vincent S Battaglia
%B Journal of The Electrochemical Society
%D 2008
%F Batt
%G eng
%N 12
%P A887-A892
%R 10.1149/1.2976031
%T Effects of Various Conductive Additive and Polymeric Binder Contents on the Performance of a Lithium-Ion Composite Cathode
%V 155
%8 10/2008
%X <p>Fundamental electrochemical methods, cell performance tests, and physical characterization tests, such as electron microscopy, were used to study the effects of levels of the inert materials [acetylene black (AB), a nanoconductive additive, and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), a polymer binder] on the power performance of lithium-ion composite cathodes. The electronic conductivity of the AB/PVDF composites at different compositions was measured with a four-point probe direct current method. The electronic conductivity was found to increase rapidly and plateau at an AB:PVDF ratio 0.2:1 (by weight), with 0.8:1 being the highest conductivity composition. AB:PVDF compositions along the plateau of 0.2:1, 0.4:1, 0.6:1, and 0.8:1 were investigated. Electrodes of each of those compositions were fabricated with different fractions of AB/PVDF to active material. It was found that at the 0.8:1 AB:PVDF, the rate performance improved with increases in the AB/PVDF loading, whereas at the 0.2:1 AB:PVDF, the rate performance improved with decreases in the AB/PVDF loading. The impedance of electrodes made with 0.6:1 AB:PVDF was low and relatively invariant</p>