Synergy of manufacturing methods: In this work, a strategy is introduced to fabricate low-tortuosity thick electrodes for lithium-ion batteries with the combination of acoustic-field particle patterning (AP) and phase-inversion (PI) methods. The APPI electrodes demonstrate advantageous electrochemical performance over electrodes produced by only PI method. The results provide new insights into the process-structure-property relationship governing high-performance battery electrodes.

Abstract

Texturing the battery electrode to create low-tortuosity ordered structures can significantly improve the sluggish mass transport in thick electrodes (areal mass loading>20 mg/cm²) during the energy storage electrochemical reactions. In this work, we presented an efficient and effective method to regulate the electrode structure by creating aligned channels throughout the thickness of the electrode. The method combines acoustic manipulation of particles and nonsolvent induced phase inversion and is highly compatible with a wide range of materials used in various battery chemistries. The textured electrodes show better structural integrity compared to electrodes of similar mass loading made with acoustic patterning only and with conventional solution casting. Compared with electrodes made with phase inversion only, it exhibits lower tortuosity, enhanced ion transport/kinetics, better rate capability and cyclic stability.