Solvent-Free Melt-Processed Cathode Mitigates Li Anode Instability in Polymer-Based Solid-State Batteries

Abstract

Solvent-free manufacturing of battery components is a promising alternative to traditional slurry processing for reducing the cost and environmental impact. In this work, we used twin-screw melt extrusion to fabricate a polymer-based high voltage composite cathode. The melt-processed cathode is dense (near zero porosity) and thick (65 μm) and has high active material loading (80 wt %). The active particles are distributed uniformly throughout the melt-processed cathode, unlike the traditional slurry-cast cathode, which exhibits inhomogeneous particle distribution. In the melt-processed cathode, polymer and carbon form separate phases, whereas in the slurry-cast cathode they blend into a single phase. Due to these structural differences, the melt-processed cathode shows smooth charge–discharge profiles, while the slurry-cast cathode shows noisy charging and soft-shorting behavior. This work highlights that twin-screw extrusion as a scalable, solvent-free manufacturing method is advantageous in producing uniform cathodes, which mitigates anode instability.