Nouryon Introduces CMC Polymer to Improve Lithium-Ion Batteries

Nouryon Polymer Chemicals (Nouryon) has begun their first deliveries of AkuPure, a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) polymer targeted specifically at lithium-ion batteries, according to foreign media reports. The CMC polymer is a sustainable, bio-based water-soluble polymer that can be used as a thickener, binder, stabilizer, and film-former.

Nouryon is one of the world's leading producers of organic peroxides, metal alkyls, organometallic specialties, and polymer additives. The company delivers essential products used in the production of thermoplastic resins, thermoset, and elastomeric materials. As well as manufactures high purity metalorganics for the semiconductor industry

Carboxymethyl cellulose is a cellulose derivative with carboxymethyl groups (-CH2-COOH) bound to some of the hydroxyl groups of the glucopyranose monomers that make up the cellulose backbone. It is often used as its sodium salt, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. It used to be marketed under the name Tylose, a registered trademark of SE Tylose.

In the anodes of lithium-ion batteries, AkuPure CMCs polymers are particularly used in water-binder systems, and typically applied in combination with graphite and Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) in anode coating to improve binding strength of active graphite on the copper collector. SBR alone cannot generate sufficient coating rheology and slurry stability for graphite powder.

With CMC polymer, graphite particles and homogenous distribution of the binder can be evenly dispersed. Secondary lithium-ion batteries made using CMC show high capacity retention, but also at high C-rates.

AkuPure can meet the ultra-high purity requirements of lithium-ion battery applications (greater than 99.5%), improve the electrode coating process, and increase the efficiency by helping the battery to retain and deliver power more effectively.

Geert-Jan Beijering, Product Director of Nouryon, said: "Customers in the battery market require ultrapure CMC because impurities can interfere with performance or production efficiency. AkuPure has several properties key to the battery production process, including the speed at which it dissolves and its low level of insoluble." Customers in this field need to be able to retain and deliver the battery frequently without affecting battery performance under different temperature conditions.

CMC is a sustainable polymer derived from cellulose sources such as wood or cotton. It can be used as a thickener, binder and rheology modifier in areas such as mining and pharmaceuticals. The CMC polymer developed by Nouryon help to boost the lithium-ion batteries. This project would further expand the end market use of CMC.

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