Function‐Oriented Binder Architectures for Dry‐Processed Lithium‐Ion Battery Electrodes

The role of binders in lithium‐ion battery (LIB) electrodes is undergoing a fundamental reevaluation as dry electrode processing gains momentum. In solvent‐free systems, the binder must operate without the aid of liquid‐phase dispersion or capillary adhesion, instead enabling structural cohesion, ionic percolation, and mechanical integrity through entirely solid‐state mechanisms. These evolving demands render traditional views of binders as passive, inert glues obsolete. While polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) remains central to current dry electrode fabrication due to its shear‐induced fibrillation, environmental and political regulation and electrochemical and interfacial limitations have underscored the need to move beyond both its chemistry and design logic. Rather than seeking one‐to‐one material replacements, a growing body of research reframes the binder as a platform of modular functionality, distributing roles such as adhesion, elasticity, and interface stabilization across hybrid, reversible, or sacrificial materials. This function‐first approach enables the decoupling of cohesion mechanisms from specific chemistries, opening pathways to dry electrode systems tailored to emerging battery architectures. In this perspective, we explore the structural design principles and interfacial strategies that redefine the binder not as a static material but as an actively engineered system essential to the advancement of sustainable, high‐performance dry electrode technologies.