Bicontinuous phase separation of lithium-ion battery electrodes for ultrahigh areal loading
Jung Tae Lee, Changshin Jo, Michaël De Volder
Abstract
Significance Increasing the thickness of battery electrodes is an attractive approach to reduce the fraction of battery parts that do not store energy, such as current collectors and separators. However, the fabrication of thick electrodes holds challenges of its own such as cracking or flaking during the electrode production and limitations in ion and electron transport. To address the latter, advanced electrode templating techniques have been suggested, but these techniques are not scalable. In this work, ultrathick electrodes are fabricated on a pilot-scale roll-to-roll tool using a thermally induced phase segregation process. This electrode structuring method creates a bicontinuous electrolyte and electrode network with excellent ion and electron transport reducing the charge-transport challenges in thick electrodes.