Primer for battery electrode
Primer arrangements that facilitate electrical conduction and adhesive connection between an electroactive material and a current collector are presented. In some embodiments, primer arrangements described herein include first and second primer layers. The first primer layer may be designed to provide good adhesion to a conductive support. In one particular embodiment, the first primer layer comprises a substantially uncrosslinked polymer having hydroxyl functional groups, e.g., polyvinyl alcohol. The materials used to form the second primer layer may be chosen such that the second primer layer adheres well to both the first primer layer and an electroactive layer. In certain embodiments including combinations of first and second primer layers, one or both of the first and second primer layers comprises less than 30% by weight of a crosslinked polymeric material. A primer including only a single layer of polymeric material is also provided.
1. An electrode comprising:
a conductive support;
a first primer layer positioned adjacent the conductive support and comprising a first polymeric material, wherein at least a portion of the first polymeric material is non-crosslinked;
a second primer layer positioned adjacent the first primer layer and comprising a second polymeric material, wherein at least a portion of the second polymeric material is non-crosslinked, wherein the first and/or second polymeric materials comprises hydroxyl functional groups, and wherein the first primer layer and the second primer layer are formed of different materials; and
an electroactive layer in electrical communication with the second primer layer, wherein the electroactive layer is different from the first and/or second primer layers.
2. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric material comprises hydroxyl functional groups.
3. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric material is polyvinyl alcohol.
4. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material comprises hydroxyl functional groups.
5. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material is polyvinyl alcohol.
6. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second primer layers comprises less than 30% by weight of a crosslinked polymeric material.
7. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first primer layer comprises less than 30% by weight of a crosslinked polymeric material.
8. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first primer layer is essentially free of a covalently crosslinked polymeric material.
9. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first primer layer comprises less than 30% by weight of crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol.
10. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second primer layers comprises less than 30% by weight of a crosslinked polymeric material, and the other of the first and second primer layers comprises greater than 30% by weight of a crosslinked polymeric material.
11. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material comprises polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylate, or polyvinyl butyral.
12. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the electroactive layer comprises a positive electrode material.
13. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the electroactive layer comprises an electroactive sulfur-containing material.
14. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the second primer layer is immediately adjacent the electroactive layer.
15. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a cathode.
16. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first primer layer and/or second primer layer comprises a conductive filler in the range of 10-90% by weight of the first primer layer and/or second primer layer, respectively, after the first primer layer and/or second primer layer has been dried.
17. An electrode as in claim 16 , wherein the conductive filler is carbon black.
18. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first primer layer and/or second primer layer is less than 10 microns.
19. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first primer layer and/or second primer layer is less than 3 microns.
20. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of each of the first primer layer and second primer layer is less than 3 microns.
21. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first primer layer and/or second primer layer comprises a conductive filler in the range of 40-80% by weight of the first primer layer and/or second primer layer, respectively, after the first primer layer and/or second primer layer has been dried.
22. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first primer layer and/or second primer layer comprises less than 40% by weight of a crosslinked polymeric material.
23. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein at least portions of the electroactive layer and the second primer layer are formed of different materials.
24. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first primer layer and/or second primer layer comprises poly(vinyl) fluoride.
25. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the second primer layer is essentially free of a covalently crosslinked polymeric material.
26. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first and/or second polymeric materials is crosslinked.
27. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material are the same material.
28. An electrode as in claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material are different materials.
29. An electrode comprising:
a conductive support;
a first primer layer positioned adjacent the conductive support and comprising a first polymeric material, wherein at least a portion of the first polymeric material is non-crosslinked;
a second primer layer positioned adjacent the first primer layer and comprising a second polymeric material, wherein at least a portion of the second polymeric material is non-crosslinked, wherein the first and/or second polymeric materials comprises hydroxyl functional groups, and wherein the first primer layer and the second primer layer are formed of different materials; and an electroactive layer in electrical communication with the second primer layer,
wherein the first and/or second primer layers has a thickness of no greater than 10 microns.
30. An electrode comprising:
a conductive support;
a first primer layer positioned adjacent the conductive support and comprising a first polymeric material, wherein at least a portion of the first polymeric material is non-crosslinked;
a second primer layer positioned adjacent the first primer layer and comprising a second polymeric material, wherein at least a portion of the second polymeric material is non-crosslinked, wherein the first and/or second polymeric materials comprises hydroxyl functional groups, and wherein the first primer layer and the second primer layer are formed of different materials; and
an electroactive layer in electrical communication with the second primer layer,
wherein at least a portion of the first and/or second primer layers does not include an electroactive material.