Fabrication of electrodes and devices containing electrodes

Abstract

Electrodes are manufactured using a fire-retardant solvent and a polymerizable monomer. Electrodes according to the present invention are contemplated to find applicability in substantially any electrode containing device, including batteries. A preferred class of fire-retardant solvents includes solvents that generate a fire-retardant gas upon decomposition. One subclass includes compositions that produce carbon dioxide upon decomposition. Other subclasses include species that generate non-CO,gases upon decomposition, such as CO, SO,, SO,, NO, N,O, NO,, or N,. A second preferred class of fire-retardant solvents include solvents that are fire-retardant without generating a fire-retardant gas upon decomposition, and are electrochemically inactive. Subclasses here include the many phosphates, phosphazenes, borates, siloxanes, fluorinated carbonates and fluorinated ethers that are already known to be included in a fire-retardant electrolyte. It is contemplated that the same solvent may be used in both an electrode paste and an electrolyte. It is also contemplated that the same polymer may be used in both an electrode paste and an electrolyte. An exemplary polymer for this purpose is polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). In one or both such cases, an electrolyte may advantageously be applied directly to the porous electrode surface, providing excellent interlayer adhesion and thus low interfacial resistance.