Porous additive directs lithium ions in thick dry electrodes to boost battery power

Researchers at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) have developed a new approach to enhance lithium-ion transport in thick-film battery electrodes using porous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) as an additive. This innovation addresses the challenge of ion movement in thicker electrodes, which traditionally hold more energy but impede lithium-ion flow. The g-C3N4 additive acts as an internal guide, facilitating ion passage without the need for solvents or drying steps in electrode manufacturing. Collaborators from Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea contributed to this study, published in the August 2026 issue of the journal Exploration.

In conventional batteries, increasing electrode thickness can enhance energy storage but complicates ion transport due to a dense pore network. This results in slower ion movement and limits energy accessibility during rapid charging or discharging. The KRICT team describes this as a lithium-ion traffic jam, which their additive aims to alleviate. The dry electrode manufacturing process eliminates the need for solvents, reducing costs and energy use, while the g-C3N4 additive improves ion transport within the thick electrodes.

The porous nature of graphitic carbon nitride allows it to form transient lithium-nitrogen bonds, temporarily capturing and releasing lithium ions. This mechanism is likened to transfer hubs that simplify ion movement through the electrode. The additive also enhances electrolyte wettability, promoting uniform ion distribution. Quantitatively, the study reports a 56% reduction in the activation energy for lithium-ion charge transfer and a significant increase in discharge capacity and power density.

The research highlights that more additive is not always beneficial, as excessive g-C3N4 can increase electrical resistance. The study emphasizes the importance of balancing additive quantity, positioning, and electrode pore structure, described as an architecture-interface co-design strategy. This approach is crucial for optimizing performance in high-capacity battery applications.

The dry-electrode process offers potential commercial benefits by eliminating solvent use, reducing manufacturing costs, and enabling the production of high-energy batteries for electric vehicles. However, the study did not measure mass-production yields or cost reductions directly. The collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea and various institutional support programs underscores the role of partnerships in advancing battery research.

For the battery industry, the findings suggest that dry-electrode manufacturing can be compatible with thick, high-energy cathodes if ion transport is engineered effectively. The transient lithium-nitrogen bonding mechanism provides a model for future additive designs, offering a pathway to improve rate capability and cycling life in lithium-ion batteries.