Advances in multi-scale design and fabrication processes for thick electrodes in lithium-ion batteries

In the contemporary era, lithium-ion batteries have gained considerable attention in various industries such as 3C products, electric vehicles and energy storage systems due to their exceptional properties. With the rapid progress in the energy storage sector, there is a growing demand for greater energy density in lithium-ion batteries. While the use of thick electrodes is a straightforward and effective approach to enhance the energy density of battery, it is hindered by the sluggish reaction dynamics and insufficient mechanical properties. Therefore, we comprehensively review recent advances in the field of thick electrodes for lithium-ion batteries to overcome the bottlenecks in the development of thick electrodes and achieve efficient fabrication for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Initially, a systematic analysis is performed to identify the factors affecting the performance of the thick electrodes. the correlation between electrode materials, structural parameters, and performance is also investigated. Subsequently, the viable strategies for constructing thick electrodes with improved properties are summarize, including high throughput, high conductivity and low tortuosity, in both material development and structural design. In addition, recent advances in efficient fabrication methods for thick electrode fabrication are reviewed, with a comprehensive assessment of their merits, limitations, and applicable scenarios. Finally, a comprehensive overview of the multiscale design and manufacturing process for thick electrodes in lithium-ion batteries is provided, accompanied by valuable insights into design considerations that are crucial for future advances in this area.