Ethyl Cellulose as a Dispersant for Lithium Ion Battery Cathode Production

A process of making a lithium ion battery cathode, the process comprising the step of forming a slurry of an active material, a nano-size conductive agent, a binder polymer, a solvent and a dispersant,

• the solvent consisting essentially of one or more of a compound of Formula 1
• in which R1 and R2 are hydrogen or a C1-4 straight or branched chain alkyl or alkoxy, and R3 is a C1-10 straight or branched chain alkyl or alkoxy, with the proviso that R1 and R2 are not both hydrogen;
• or
• one or more of a second compound of Formula 2
• in which R2′ is 2-9 ring carbon atoms each of which can have a C1-2 alkyl or alkoxy branch, and R1′ is a C2-8 straight or branched chain alkyl or alkoxy;
• or
• one or more of a third compound of Formula 3
• in which R1″ and R2″ are hydrogen or a C1-2 alkyl or alkoxy;
• R3″ is 2-4 ring carbons each of which can have a C1-2 alkyl or alkoxy branch;
• and R4″ is hydrogen or a C1-3 straight or branched chain alkyl or alkoxy and
• the dispersant comprises an ethyl cellulose.