Eco-Friendly Fabrication of NCM811 Cathodes with Alcohol-Based Dispersion of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Lithium-Ion Battery Application

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are promising conductive additives that enhance the performance of Li-ion batteries (LIBs). However, their eco-friendly integration into LIB cathodes is hindered by the challenges of debundling and dispersion in nontoxic solvents. Herein, we report the use of an SWCNT dispersion in an alcoholic solvent without a dispersant to fabricate high-performance LIB cathodes. Functionalized SWCNTs with abundant hydroxyl groups were dispersed in ethyl cellulose (EC) in propylene glycol methyl ether and utilized as conductive binders in LIB cathodes. Although EC is stiff, the EC/SWCNT composite electrodes are flexible, making them suitable for binder systems in LIBs. LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811)-based LIB cathodes incorporating SWCNTs exhibited superior electrochemical performance to those employing conventional carbon black additives. This eco-friendly approach yielded stable retention (approximately 78% of the initial capacity, even after 150 cycles), cycling stability, and excellent rate capability. The proposed method for eco-friendly alcohol-based fabrication of LIB cathodes with functionalized SWCNTs can promote a sustainable future for battery technology.