A conformal heat-drying direct ink writing 3D printing for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

High areal capacity electrodes hold great potential for high-energy density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), but their poor electrochemical kinetics limit their power density. In this study, high areal capacity 3D-structured LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 cathodes (4.3 mAh cm−2) are prepared via 3D printing with a manner of direct ink writing. The electrodes had an enlarged electrode–electrolyte contact area, shortened diffusion pathway, and reduced intercalation-induced stress, thereby delivering enhanced rate capability and cyclability in LIBs, which is 143.6 mAh g−1 at 3C and a 60.2 % capacity retention over 800 cycles at 1C. Moreover, at electrode level, the 3D-NMC exhibits an energy and power densities of 313.1 Wh kg−1 and 657.9 W kg−1, respectively. Furthermore, the theoretical calculation suggests that reducing the gap width will be highly beneficial to the energy and power densities. This work establishes a milestone in understanding the cycling effect on the electrode local structure, including the void area and the LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 region, which confirms the effectiveness of 3D printing for electrode preparation.