Solvent-free revolution: Dry-coating electrode tech building a greener battery future

Dry-coating electrode technology offers a solvent-free alternative to conventional battery manufacturing, eliminating the need for toxic solvents while providing significant advantages in cost, energy consumption, and environmental sustainability. This approach relies on binder fibrillation mechanisms, in which polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is typically used to form fibrous networks that bind electrode components. However, achieving uniform component dispersion remains a fundamental challenge in conventional dry-coating processes, significantly limiting their practical application and impeding the fabrication of commercially viable high-performance electrodes.

A research team led by Prof. Hao Sun from Shanghai Jiao Tong University has reviewed the recent advances in dry-coating electrode technology. For instance, polar polymer binders can significantly enhance the adhesion between components and improve ion transport, enabling the fabrication of high-loading electrodes with fast charging capability. Moreover, low-melting-point additives promote more uniform component distribution during powder mixing, constructing more sufficient conductive networks for both ion and electron transport. Advanced manufacturing techniques such as multi-step mixing and thermal-assisted processing also play a vital role in improving the performance of dry-coated electrodes, resulting in superior mechanical robustness and electrochemical properties.

These insights deepen the understanding of the relationship between microstructure and battery performance in dry-coating electrodes, and underscore the importance of interdisciplinary research across chemistry, materials, and mechanical engineering. This review not only offers strategies to overcome challenges in component homogeneity, interfacial stability, and manufacturing scalability but also suggests future research directions to accelerate the industrial adoption of dry-coating electrode technologies. These advances are particularly relevant for next-generation battery systems, including all-solid-state and conversion-type batteries, for which solvent-free processing offers unique benefits. The perspectives presented in this review offer a promising path forward for the development of high-performance, environmentally friendly energy storage systems.

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See the article:

Dry-coating electrode fabrication for sustainable, high-performance batteries
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-025-3119-x