Solvent Zero Battery Manufacturing (ZEROBAT)

Great progress has been achieved in battery industry, which have enabled ~ 90% reduction in Lithium-Ion-Battery (LIB) cost at the module level and a >5-fold increase in volumetric energy density at the pack level. However, although the battery delivers clean energy, the mass production of LIBs can result in environmental concerns during battery manufacturing and disposal. Conventional LIB cathode electrodes are manufactured through a slurry processing method where N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) is used as a solvent. NMP is expensive and toxic. The substance has therefore been added to the restricted substances list by the European Commission in 2018. In addition, about 48% of the total process energy in LIB manufacturing is consumed in the electrode drying process for evaporation and recovery of NMP solvent. The use of NMP also causes the high cost and capital investment of electrode manufacturing.

The goal of this project is to develop sustainable electrode manufacturing technologies which could reduce the processing cost and energy consumption and make battery manufacturing circular. Two industrial adoptable NMP-free electrode manufacturing as sustainable and green strategies will be considered in the present project. This feasibility study will promote more collaboration between academia and industry with the ultimate goal to solve the key issues of LIB manufacturing. Ideally, a close-loop industrial supply chain will be built from powder processing, electrode coating, and battery manufacturing in Sweden, making Sweden competitive with a leading position in electrode manufacturing and environmentally benign battery production. Such development will become the next big industrial expansion in Sweden.