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The increased percentage of renewable power sources involved in energy production highlights the importance of developing systems for stationary energy storage that satisfy the requirements of safety and low costs. Na ion batteries can be suitable candidates, specifically if their components are economic and safe. This study focuses on the development of aqueous processes and binders to prepare electrodes for sodium ion cells operating in aqueous solutions. We demonstrated the feasibility of a chitosan-based binder to produce freestanding electrodes for Na ion cells, without the use of organic solvents and current collectors in electrode processing. To our knowledge, it is the first time that water-processed, freestanding electrodes are used in aqueous Na ion cells, which could also be extended to other types of aqueous batteries. This is a real breakthrough in terms of sustainability, taking into account low risks for health and environment and low costs.

In this study, Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) electrodes with different types of water-soluble binders are successfully coated upon aluminum foil. Electrodes containing solely sodium alginate (SA) as a binder or a mixed PVDF/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) binder show the most stable performance in 1 M LiPF6 in EC/DMC 1:1 in half cell vs. Li, with respect to cycle stability over 100 cycles at 1 C. The electrodes processed with a mixture of PVDF/SA show considerable fading and slightly worse values for rate capability. Each one of the different binders used is eco-friendly, and the whole processing can be performed without the use of organic solvents. Further advantages covering the whole production and recycling process, as well as safety issues during operation, encourage deeper research in this area.

Water-soluble CMC/PVDF binder systems were used to prepare graphite anodes and compared mechanically and electrochemically with CMC/SBR binder systems. The effect of crystallinity of PVDF binder on the mechanical and electrochemical performance of the anodes is studied. A contact free method easy to operate and equipped with high accuracy was developed by using capacitance measurement. The swelling of graphite electrodes was controlled and showed different results for different binder crystallinities (no swelling of binder with high crystallinity vs 12% for medium crystallinity and 17% for low crystallinity binder). The discharge capacity depends on the crystallinity of the binders and half-cells delivered a capacity in the range of 230–360 mAh g−1. The binder with medium crystallinity in particular exhibited the best mechanical and electrochemical performance and showed an excellent C-rate stability with specific capacities up to 10 C. Full cell tests showed good cycling stability over 180 cycles. The water-based PVDF binders seem to be a promising alternative to solvent-based binders.