A new approach for rapid electrolyte wetting in tape cast electrodes for lithium-ion batteries

An innovative concept for significantly decreasing the time-span for the electrochemical formation step after lithium-ion cell assembly is presented. Laser structuring has been developed for the formation of capillary microstructures in tape cast electrodes resulting in a tremendous acceleration of electrolyte wetting in comparison to unstructured electrodes. Pouch cells with laser-structured electrodes show an increase in capacity retention and an enhancement in cell cycle life-time at high charging and discharging rates. We assume that laser structuring of tape cast electrodes could be a further step towards economic and zero failure production of high-power lithium-ion batteries.