Battery electrode design and process technologies have been developed to significantly enhance the performance and stability of batteries used in electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops, as well as electric vehicles, and are expected to contribute to improving battery lifespan and performance in the future.

A joint research team consisting of Principal Researcher Seungmin Hyun of the Nanomechanical Equipment Research Laboratory at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (President Sangjin Park), under the Ministry of Science and ICT, and Professor Hujeong Lee of Sungkyunkwan University (President Yoo Ji-beom) has developed a new battery electrode (anode) structure that improves the reliability and performance of lithium-ion batteries, and published the related research results in the prestigious journal Advanced Functional Materials (IF: 19.924).

A joint research team from the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) and Sungkyunkwan University designed the anode with a double-layer structure and an uneven surface where small materials with enhanced ion and electrical conductivity can exist between high-capacity materials, in order to develop design and process technologies that maintain high performance and reliability even with thick lithium-ion battery electrodes.

Generally, the electrodes of lithium-ion batteries are manufactured by coating and drying the slurry so that it can be evenly distributed over the entire electrode. Accordingly, the uniformity of the slurry determines the performance of the battery, and as the electrode becomes thicker, the energy density and uniformity decrease, making it difficult to maintain performance in high-power environments.

On the other hand, the negative electrode structure of the battery developed in this study allows the entire electrode to maintain high energy density and uniform reaction stability even when the electrode becomes thicker, which significantly contributes to improving performance and lifespan.

Hyun Seung-min, a principal researcher at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), stated, “This is an efficient method to improve battery performance and lifespan by applying a new design while utilizing existing lithium-ion battery materials and processes.” He added, “We will strive to apply this not only to electronic devices such as commercial smartphones and laptops but also to electric vehicles and soft robots that require high energy density even in high-power environments.”

Meanwhile, this research was conducted with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT's 'Nano and Materials Technology Development Project' and the KIMM basic project 'Development of Nano-based Omni-TEX Manufacturing Technology'.