The lithium-ion battery has been utilized in various fields including energy storage system, portable electronic devices and electric vehicles due to their high energy and power densities, low self-discharge, and long cycle-life performances. However, despite of various research on electrode materials, there is a lack of research on developing of binder to replace conventional polymer-based binding materials. In this work, petroleum pitch (MP-50)/polymer (polyurethane, PU) composite binder for lithium-ion battery has fabricated not only to use as a binding material, but also to re-place conventional polymer-based binder. The MP-50/PU composite binder has also prepared to various ratios between petroleum pitch and polymer to optimize the physical and electro-chemical performance of the lithium-ion battery based on the MP-50/PU composite binder. The physical and electrochemical performances of the MP-50/PU composite binder-based lithium-ion battery were evaluated using a universal testing machine (UTM), charge/discharge test. As a result, lithium-ion battery based on the MP-50/PU composite (5:5, mass ratio) binder showed optimized performances with 1.53 gf mm− 1 of adhesion strength, 341 mAh g− 1 of specific discharge capacity and 99.5% of ICE value.

Development of petroleum pitchpolymer composite binder for anode material of the lithium-ion battery
    Abstract
    1 Introduction
    2 Experimental
        2.1 Materials
        2.2 Preparation of the petroleum pitch (MP-50)PU composite binder
        2.3 Fabrication of the electrode slurry
        2.4 Preparation of the lithium-ion battery based on the petroleum pitch (MP-50)PU composite binder
        2.5 Electrochemical properties of the petroleum pitch (MP-50)PU composite binder-based lithium-ion battery
    3 Characterization
        3.1 Physical properties of the petroleum pitch (MP-50)PU composite binder-based lithium-ion battery
        3.2 Electrochemical properties of the petroleum pitch (MP-50)PU composite binder-based lithium-ion battery
    4 Results and discussion
    5 Conclusion
    References

• Su Jung Kim(Division of Energy Engineering, Daejin University, 1007 Hoguk Road, Pocheon‑Si, Gyeonggi‑Do 487‑711, South Korea)
• Hyeon Taek Jeong(Division of Energy Engineering, Daejin University, 1007 Hoguk Road, Pocheon‑Si, Gyeonggi‑Do 487‑711, South Korea) Corresponding author