Resource-Efficient Electrodes with Metallized Woven-Glass-Grid Current Collectors for Lithium-Ion Batteries

A novel class of resource-efficient, woven-glass-grid current collectors (CCs) for Li-ion batteries is introduced. These CCs are based on ultra-light multifilament glass threads, woven to a grid and surrounded with a thin metal layer (equivalent to a 1 μm-thick metal foil) in a roll-to-roll physical vapor deposition process. This saves >90 % of the required Cu and Al metals and reduces the mass of the CCs by >80 %. At the same time, the gravimetric capacity of anodes with graphite and cathodes with LiCoO2 active material increases by 48 % and 14 %, respectively, while full cells are characterized by an increase of 26 %. Thus, the specific energy can be improved by 25 %. A complete anode and cathode fabrication process from preparing the CCs and electrodes to cells is described and demonstrated in coin cell format. Coin cells with woven-glass-grid CCs achieved 300 cycles with a capacity retention of 93 %, a Coulombic efficiency of >99.9 %, and a higher rate capability until a C-rate of 3 C. This technology opens up new possibilities for designing ultralight CCs with dedicated surface properties for Li and beyond Li batteries.