Aqueous binder composition for lithium ion electrical storage devices

1. An electrode binder of a lithium ion secondary battery comprising an aqueous dispersion of:

(a) a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer comprising at least 75 mole % of vinylidene fluoride;

(b) a (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant;

(c) a crosslinking agent comprising an aminoplast and/or a polycarbodiimide; and

(d) an organic diluent;

wherein the (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant is prepared from a mixture of monomers consisting of one or more carboxylic acid group-containing (meth)acrylic monomers and at least one different copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer selected from alkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, alkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid containing from 4 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, one or more hydroxyl group-containing (meth)acrylic monomers, a self-crosslinking monomer, vinyl aromatic monomers, and monomeric dienes, wherein carboxylic acid groups on the (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant are at least partially neutralized with a base.

2. The electrode binder of claim 1 in which the (meth)acrylic polymer has a glass transition temperature of from −50 to +70° C.

3. The electrode binder of claim 1 in which the base is an amine.

4. The electrode binder of claim 3 in which the amine is a volatile tertiary amine.

5. The electrode binder of claim 1 in which the polyvinylidene fluoride polymer is present in amounts of 50 to 98 percent by weight; the (meth)acrylic polymer is present in amounts of 2 to 50 percent by weight and the crosslinking agent is present in amounts of 2 to 50 percent by weight, the percentages by weight being based on resin solids.

6. The electrode binder of claim 5 which has a resin solids content of 30 to 80 percent by weight.

7. An electrode slurry for a lithium ion secondary battery comprising:

(a) an electrically active material capable of lithium intercalation/deintercalation,

(b) a binder comprising an aqueous dispersion of:

(i) a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer comprising at least 75 mole % of vinylidene fluoride,

(ii) a (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant,

(iii) a crosslinking agent comprising an aminoplast and/or a polycarbodiimide; and

(iv) an organic diluent;

(c) a conductive agent, and

(d) a thickener;

wherein the (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant is prepared from a mixture of monomers consisting of one or more carboxylic acid group-containing (meth)acrylic monomers and at least one different copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer selected from alkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, alkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid containing from 4 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, one or more hydroxyl group-containing (meth)acrylic monomers, a self-crosslinking monomer, vinyl aromatic monomers, and monomeric dienes, wherein carboxylic acid groups on the (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant are at least partially neutralized with a base.

8. The electrode slurry of claim 7 in which (a) 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 mixtures thereof.

9. The electrode slurry of claim 8 in which (a) is LiFeP0 4 .

10. The electrode slurry of claim 7 in which (c) comprises graphite, activated carbon, acetylene black, furnace black or graphene.

11. The electrode slurry of claim 7 further comprising an organic solvent.

12. The electrode slurry of claim 7 in which

(a) is present in amounts of 45 to 95 percent by weight;

(b) is present in amounts of 2 to 20 percent by weight;

(c) is present in amounts of 2 to 20 percent by weight; and

(d) is present in amounts of 0.1 to 15 percent by weight; the percentages by weight being based on total solids weight.

13. The electrode slurry of claim 7 in which the (meth)acrylic polymer has a glass transition temperature of from −50 to +70° C.

14. The electrode slurry of claim 7 in which the polyvinylidene fluoride polymer is present in amounts of 50 to 98 percent by weight; the (meth)acrylic polymer is present in amounts of 2 to 50 percent by weight and the crosslinking agent is present in amounts of 2 to 50 percent by weight, the percentages by weight being based on resin solids.

15. The electrode slurry of claim 14 which has a resin solids content of 30 to 80 percent by weight.

16. An electrode comprising:

(a) an electrical current collector;

(b) a cured film formed on the collector (a) comprising:

(i) a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer comprising at least 75 mole % of vinylidene fluoride,

(ii) a crosslinked (meth)acrylic polymer formed from the electrode binder of claim 1 ,

(iii) a conductive material,

(iv) an electrode active material intercalation/deintercalation, and

(v) a thickener.

17. The electrode of claim 16 in which (a) comprises copper or aluminum sheet or foil.

18. The electrode of claim 16 in which (iii) comprises graphite, activated carbon, acetylene black, furnace black or graphene.

19. The electrode of claim 16 in which (iv) comprises LiCo0 2 , LiNi0 2 , LiFeP0 4 , LiCoP0 4 , LiMn0 2 , LiMn 2 0 4 , Li(NiMnCo)0 2 , Li(NiCoAl)0 2 , carbon-coated LiFeP0 4 , or mixtures thereof.

20. An electrical storage device comprising:

(a) an electrode including an electrical current collector and a cured film formed on the collector including:

(i) a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer comprising at least 75 mole % of vinylidene fluoride,

(ii) a crosslinked (meth)acrylic polymer formed from the electrode binder of claim 1 ,

(iii) a conductive material,

(iv) an electrode active capable of lithium material intercalation/deintercalation, and

(v) a thickener,

(b) a counter electrode, and

(c) an electrolyte.

21. The electrode binder of claim 1 , wherein the mixture of monomers is free of organic nitriles.