Optimisation of Industrially Relevant Electrode Formulations for LFP Cathodes in Lithium Ion Cells

The electrode formulation has a significant effect on the performance of lithium ion cells. The active material, binder, and conductive carbon all have different roles, and finding the optimum composition can be difficult using an iterative approach. In this study, a design of experiment (DoE) methodology is applied to the optimisation of a cathode based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP). The minimum LFP content in the electrodes is 94 wt%. Seventeen mixes are used to evaluate adhesion, resistivity, and electrochemical performance. The coating adhesion increases with binder content, and the coating conductivity increases with carbon nano-tube content. The best coatings achieve 5C:0.2C capacity ratios above 50%, despite the relatively high coat weight. Models based on just the component mixture do not replicate the discharge capacities at high rates. However, a combined mixture + process model can fit the data, and is used to predict an optimum formulation.