Solid-state batteries (SSB) differ fundamentally from conventional lithium-ion batteries in that they use solid electrolytes instead of liquid components. In order to efficiently combine the different solids and thereby achieve high electrochemical performance, hetero-agglomeration represents a suitable approach. In particular, the homogeneity and the number of hetero-contacts between different particles have a significant influence on the resulting electrochemical properties, which underlines the central importance of efficient mixing and agglomeration processes.

A jet-based mixing process in a turbulent pipe flow is used to produce cathode materials for SSB with the aim of improving the homogeneity and the electrochemical properties of the battery materials. The starting materials, consisting of the active material lithium iron phosphate (LFP), conductive additive carbon black (CB), and magnesium oxide (MgO), which is used here as a model material for the solid electrolyte lithium indium chloride (LIC), are first broken up and dispersed in the gas phase. The different particles then collide in a turbulent pipe flow, where interactions between the primary particles result in the formation of hetero-agglomerates.

This work focuses on the structural analysis of the hetero-agglomerates produced in the mixing process. The morphological characterization of the particle microstructure was performed using....