Conductive additives are small amounts of highly conductive materials (usually carbon-based, like carbon black, graphene, or carbon nanotubes) incorporated into battery electrode formulations to enhance electrical conductivity. Active materials in electrodes can be somewhat insulating or lose contact as they expand and contract, so adding a conductive network ensures that active material contact is maintained electrons can flow freely through the electrode to the current collector. While crucial for performance (helping deliver high power and uniform current distribution), conductive additives do not store energy themselves and thus are kept to a minimal percentage of the electrode.
NOVONIX examines different conductive additive types and loadings in electrode development. By adjusting the amount and type of conductive additive, NOVONIX measures how the electrode’s internal resistance and rate capability change. Too little additive might result in poor high-rate performance, while too much can reduce energy density. Through techniques like charge and discharge rate mapping, NOVONIX optimizes this balance. Additionally, NOVONIX looks at how well additives disperse during slurry mixing and coating. The research ensures that battery electrodes have an optimized mix of conductive additives to ensure cell performance requirements are met.
