Electrophoretic deposition of LiFePO4 and carbon black: A numerical study to explore longitudinal trends using Taguchi design

• Created an integrated finite element (FEM) and analytical model to estimate both the mass and rate of deposition in ethanol-based electrophoretic deposition (EPD). • Identified a nonlinear relationship between concentration and the yield rate, as well as the thickness and mass of the deposited material. • Determined an optimal concentration level that maximises both thickness and yield rate across various voltages. • Although the resistivity of the suspension impacts the yield rate, it does not affect the total amount of material deposited. Developing Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD) for Composite Structural Batteries (CSBs) could revolutionise energy storage technology. CSBs offer an innovative solution by seamlessly integrating batteries into structures and effectively reducing weight and space constraints. Despite its successful implementation across various fields, EPD method still lacks comprehensive understanding of the underlying physical and chemical processes due to the number of variables involved. In this study the effects of key parameters associated with the process are investigated with a coupled FEM and analytical approach to find correlations with the deposition process. A Taguchi Design of Experiment with five parameters, namely voltage, concentration, relative weight ratio of LiFePO 4 – carbon black particles, length and perimeter of the electrodes is implemented to identify the correlations with mass deposited, thickness of the coating and yield rate when LiFePO 4 and Carbon Black particles in ethanol suspension are used. In order to capture the variation over time, each parameter is studied at six different time of deposition. A concentration that optimises yield rate resulting in thickness and mass deposition is identified. The resistivity of the suspension dictates the yield rate dynamics, allowing it to be designed within a specific range to meet requirements of different applications.