Conjugated Conductive Polymer Binders for Lithium Batteries: Structural Engineering and Design Principles

ABSTRACT Polymer binders are essential for maintaining the structural integrity of battery electrodes; however, conventional binders such as poly(vinylidene fluoride) and carboxymethyl cellulose are electrically insulating, necessitating large amounts of conductive additives to enable electron transport. The growing demand for high‐energy‐density batteries has thus driven the development of multifunctional binders that combine mechanical adhesion with electrical conductivity. Among these, conjugated conductive polymer binders have emerged as a promising class due to their intrinsically delocalized π‐electron structures and tunable molecular architectures. By integrating electronic transport with structural cohesion, they offer a viable route to reduce inactive components and enhance electrode performance. In this review, we summarize recent advances in conjugated conductive polymer binders for lithium‐ion batteries, with a focus on structural engineering strategies that simultaneously optimize conductivity, mechanical robustness, and interfacial stability. We first outline the fundamental design principles, including the origin of electronic conductivity and functional requirements in electrodes. We then highlight key structural design strategies spanning classical conjugated polymers, composite systems, and advanced molecular engineering. Emerging characterization techniques that provide mechanistic insights of structural design into binder behavior are discussed, followed by their applications in advanced battery systems. Finally, we discuss current challenges and future directions toward next‐generation high‐energy batteries.