Improving LiFePO4 cathode stability in lithium-ion batteries by hybridizing activated tannic with PEDOT:PSS binders

The conventional binder polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) exhibits substantial polarization resistance at high magnification because of its inertness to Li+ and electrons. In addition, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) solvents are toxic, expensive, and environmentally harmful. In this study, we enhanced the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) binder by incorporating varying ratios of tannic acid (TA) to develop a water-soluble TA-PEDOT:PSS (TAPE) binder. TAPE1,1 with a TA to PEDOT:PSS ratio of 1:1, designated as TAPE1,1, exhibited high tensile strength (7.55 N/m), low impedance (61 Ω), remarkable cycling stability of 121 mAh g − 1 (retaining 83.6 % capacity over 1000 cycles), and excellent rate performance (95 mAh g − 1 at a 10C rate). Consequently, this study provides valuable insights into the design of high-performance lithium batteries.