Guar gum: Structural and electrochemical characterization of natural polymer based binder for silicon–carbon composite rechargeable Li-ion battery anodes

Long term cyclability of a composite Li-ion anode electrode comprised of 82 wt.% Si/C lithium ion active material along with 8 wt.% polymeric binder and 10 wt.% Super P conductive carbon black has been studied utilizing polymeric binders exhibiting different elastic/tensile moduli and tensile yield strengths. Accordingly, electrochemically active Si/C composite synthesized by high energy mechanical milling (HEMM), exhibiting reversible specific capacities of ∼780 mAh/g and ∼600 mAh/g at charge/discharge rates of ∼50 mA/g and ∼200 mA/g, respectively were selected as the Li-ion active anode. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and purified guar gum (PGG) with reported elastic moduli ∼1000 MPa and ∼3200 MPa, respectively were selected as the binders. Results show that the composite electrode (Si/C + binder + conducting carbon) comprising the higher elastic modulus binder (PGG) exhibits better long term cyclability contrasted with PVDF. 1H-NMR analysis of the polymer before and after cycling shows structural degradation/deformation of the low elastic modulus PVDF, whereas the high elastic modulus PGG binder shows no permanent structural deformation or damage. The results presented herein thus suggest that PGG based polymers exhibiting high elastic modulus are a promising class of binders with the desired mechanical integrity needed for enduring the colossal volume expansion stresses of Si/C based composite anodes. [Display omitted] •Cyclability of Si/C composite was studied with different polymeric binders.•Si/C composite exhibit reversible capacity of ∼780 mAh/g at ∼50 mA/g (C/16) rate.•PVDF and PGG binders were selected with elastic moduli of ∼1000 MPa and ∼3200 MPa, respectively.•Higher elastic modulus PGG binder shows better long term cyclability compared to PVDF binder.•1H-NMR shows structural degradation of PVDF, whereas PGG shows structural integrity beyond 100 cycles.