In Situ Observation of Microwave Sintering-Induced Directional Pores in Lithium Cobalt Oxide for Vertical Microchannel Electrodes

As an efficient energy storage solution, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) play a crucial role in the electric vehicle sector, driving innovation and development in the automotive industry. One common strategy to enhance energy density is to manufacture thicker electrodes. However, the pore distribution in thicker electrodes is often suboptimal, with elongated and tortuous pathways impeding charge transport. Optimizing the pore structure in electrodes is essential for fabricating high-performance batteries. In this study, we performed microwave sintering on lithium cobalt oxide materials and observed the three-dimensional evolution of pores during the sintering process using synchrotron radiation computed tomography (SR-CT).We discovered that pore evolution exhibits directional characteristics. Further analysis revealed that the electromagnetic loss of particles is related to the direction of the electric field, which is the reason for the directional behavior of pore evolution. This research could provide a new potential approach for the fabrication of advanced electrode materials by using electric field control during the battery manufacturing process to align pores vertically, thereby improving both the energy density and charge–discharge rate of the battery.