A Drying‐Free and Binder‐Free Fabrication Paradigm for High‐Loading Cathodes Operating Under Lean‐Electrolyte Conditions

ABSTRACT Fabricating thick electrodes (> 100 µm) under lean‐electrolyte conditions (< 3 g Ah − ¹) is a critical yet unresolved challenge for developing high‐energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries. Conventional slurry‐casting processes are plagued by structural defects, high costs, and poor performance, creating a bottleneck for practical application. Here, we introduce a disruptive manufacturing paradigm based on the direct stencil printing of a binder‐free, clay‐like semi‐solid suspension. This solvent‐free approach completely bypasses the energy‐intensive and defect‐inducing steps of slurry coating, drying, and calendering, enabling the streamlined production of structurally robust thick electrodes. The resulting NCM811 cathodes achieve a state‐of‐the‐art combination of high mass loading (25.1 mg cm⁻²) and an ultra‐lean electrolyte‐to‐capacity (E/C) ratio of 2.03 g Ah⁻¹. These electrodes exhibit exceptional cycling stability, retaining 91.1% capacity after 170 cycles. The process's scalability and practicality are further validated in a 115 mAh pouch cell, which maintains 94.8% capacity after 250 cycles. This study establishes a powerful, low‐cost, and scalable manufacturing strategy that resolves the long‐standing trade‐offs between energy density, safety, and production efficiency, paving the way for the next generation of high‐performance batteries.