Advanced electrode processing of lithium ion batteries: A review of powder technology in battery fabrication

Lithium ion batteries have achieved extensive applications in portable electronics and recently in electronic vehicles since its commercialization in 1990s. The vast applications of lithium ion batteries are not only derived from the innovation in electrochemistry based on emerging energy materials and chemical engineering science, but also the technological advances in the powder technologies for electrode processing and cell fabrication. Revealing the effects of powder technology on electrode microstructure evolution during electrode processing is with critical value to realize the superior electrochemical performance. This review presents the progress in understanding the basic principles of the materials processing technologies for electrodes in lithium ion batteries. The impacts of slurry mixing and coating, electrode drying, and calendering on the electrode characteristics and electrochemical performance are comprehensively analyzed. Conclusion and outlook are drawn to shed fresh lights on the further development of efficient lithium ion batteries by advancing powder technologies and related advanced energy materials.