A technology has emerged that resolves the aggregation and precipitation problems that have hindered the practical application of graphene materials. The Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI) has developed an aqueous dispersion technology that maintains graphene at high concentration in water stably for over one year and confirmed its performance by applying it to lithium-ion battery anode material coating.

 

On the 17th, KETI announced that the research team at the ICT Nano Convergence Research Center has developed graphene interfacial stabilization technology utilizing carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC).

 

Graphene is recognized as a material with high electrical conductivity and excellent flexibility that can be applied to various fields including secondary batteries, electronic devices, sensors, and functional coatings.

 

The research team explained that through concentration and viscosity control, the aqueous dispersion can be directly applied to various manufacturing processes including wet spinning, blade coating, and spray coating, securing process compatibility.

 

When the aqueous dispersion was coated on the surface of silicon anode material for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicle batteries, it was found to maintain approximately 69% capacity retention even after 100 charge-discharge cycles.

 

Shin Kwon-woo, Director of the ICT Nano Convergence Research Center at KETI, stated, "This technology is an achievement that enables long-term stable storage of graphene in liquid form and its utilization as various coating materials," and added, "It will significantly accelerate the timing of graphene material utilization in advanced industries such as next-generation secondary batteries."

 

The research results were published in the international academic journal 'ACS Applied Energy Materials' in the energy materials field.