Electrode slurry composition for lithium ion electrical storage devices

1. A slurry composition comprising:

(a) a binder comprising a polymer comprising a fluoropolymer dispersed in a liquid medium; and

(b) at least one conductive carbon material having a BET surface area of greater than 100 m 2 /g.

2. The slurry composition of claim 1 , wherein the conductive carbon material has a BET surface area of 100.1 m 2 /g to 1,000 m 2 /g.

3. The slurry composition of claim 1 , wherein the conductive carbon material has a BET surface area of 200 m 2 /g.

4. The slurry composition of claim 1 , further comprising an electrochemically active material.

5. The slurry composition of claim 4 , wherein

(a) the binder is present in amounts of 2 to 20 percent by weight;

(b) the conductive carbon material is present in amounts of 2 to 20 percent by weight; and

(c) the electrochemically active material is present in amounts of 45 to 96 percent by weight; the percentages by weight being based on total solids weight.

6. The slurry composition of claim 4 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises a material capable of incorporating lithium.

7. The slurry composition of claim 6 , wherein material capable of incorporating lithium comprises LiCoO 2 , LiNiO 2 , LiFePO 4 , LiCoPO 4 , LiMnO 2 , LiMn 2 O 4 , Li(NiMnCo)O 2 , Li(NiCoAl)O 2 , carbon-coated LiFePO 4 , or a combination thereof.

8. The slurry composition of claim 4 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises a material capable of lithium conversion.

9. The slurry composition of claim 8 , wherein the material capable of lithium conversion comprises sulfur, LiO 2 , FeF 2 and FeF 3 , Si, aluminum, tin, SnCo, Fe 3 O 4 , or combinations thereof.

10. The slurry composition of claim 4 , wherein the electrochemically active material comprises graphite, silicon compounds, tin, tin compounds, sulfur, sulfur compounds, or a combination thereof.

11. The slurry composition of claim 4 , wherein the slurry has a total solids content of 55 percent by weight or greater and a viscosity of no more than 4,000 cP as measured by an Anton-Paar rheometer having a model number MCR301 using a 50-millimeter cone and temperature-controlled plate at 25° C.

12. The slurry composition of claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer comprises a (co)polymer comprising the residue of vinylidene fluoride.

13. The slurry composition of claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer comprises a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer.

14. The slurry composition of claim 1 , further comprising a dispersant.

15. The slurry composition of claim 14 , wherein the dispersant comprises an addition polymer.

16. The slurry composition of claim 14 , wherein the addition polymer comprises an active hydrogen group.

17. The slurry composition of claim 16 , wherein the active hydrogen group comprises a carboxylic acid group, a hydroxyl group, or a combination thereof.

18. The slurry composition of claim 14 , wherein the addition polymer comprises a (meth)acrylic polymer comprising constitutional units comprising the residue of methyl methacrylate.

19. The slurry composition of claim 18 , wherein the (meth)acrylic polymer further comprises constitutional units comprising the residue of ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprising a heterocyclic group.

20. The slurry composition of claim 19 , wherein the (meth)acrylic polymer comprises at least one epoxy functional group, and the epoxy functional group is post-reacted with a beta-hydroxy functional acid.

21. The slurry composition of claim 14 , wherein the composition further comprises a cross-linker.

22. The slurry composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium comprises an organic medium.

23. The slurry composition of claim 22 , wherein the organic medium has an evaporation rate less than 10 g/min m 2 , at the dissolution temperature of the fluoropolymer dispersed in the organic medium.

24. The slurry composition of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesion promoter.

25. The slurry composition of claim 1 , wherein the slurry is substantially free of isophorone.

26. The slurry composition of claim 1 , wherein the slurry is substantially free of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.

27. An electrode comprising:

(a) an electrical current collector; and

(b) a film formed on the electrical current collector, wherein the film is deposited from the slurry composition of claim 4 .

28. The electrode of claim 27 , wherein the electrical current collector (a) comprises copper or aluminum in the form of a mesh, sheet or foil.

29. The electrode of claim 27 , wherein the electrode comprises a positive electrode.

30. The electrode of claim 27 , wherein the electrode comprises a negative electrode.

31. The electrode of claim 27 , wherein the film is cross-linked.

32. The electrode of claim 27 , wherein the electrical current collector is pretreated with a pretreatment composition.

33. The electrode of claim 27 , wherein the film has a thickness of at least 1 micron.

34. The electrode of claim 27 , wherein the film has a uniform composition.

35. An electrical storage device comprising:

(a) the electrode of claim 27 ;

(b) a counter electrode; and

(c) an electrolyte.

36. The electrical storage device of claim 35 , wherein the electrolyte (c) comprises a lithium salt dissolved in a solvent.

37. The electrical storage device of claim 36 , wherein the lithium salt is dissolved in an organic carbonate.

38. The electrical storage device of claim 35 , wherein the electrical storage device comprises a cell, a battery pack, a secondary battery, a capacitor, or a supercapacitor.