Viability of Additively\nManufactured Electrodes for\nLithium-Ion Batteries

As the global economy becomes increasingly electrified,\nthe demand\nfor batteries and energy storage is expected to rise significantly,\nparticularly in the transportation and electricity sectors. Lithium-ion\nbatteries (LIBs) are currently the most advanced and widely used technology\nin this field. Traditionally, LIBs are manufactured using simple 2D\nplanar geometries to maximize production efficiency and minimize costs.\nHowever, this approach limits energy density due to the restricted\ndesign flexibility of the electrodes. Additive manufacturing (AM)\noffers a promising solution to enhance the energy density and efficiency\nof LIBs by enabling the design of architectures that reduce diffusive\nlosses and allow for a greater amount of active material to be incorporated\nwithin the same device footprint, thereby minimizing the use of inactive\nmaterials. Different AM techniques come with their own set of limitations,\nincluding printing speed, material compatibility, and scale, which\nmust be considered when designing electrodes. Scalable and cost-effective\nmethods are particularly important for electric vehicle batteries,\nwhile achieving higher energy densities in microbatteries is crucial\nfor the miniaturization of wearable electronics and medical devices.\nIn this study, we simulate various 3D porous electrode designs for\nLIBs using graphite and nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) electrodes.\nThese designs are selected to represent structures that could be produced\nusing different AM techniques, such as direct ink writing, fused deposition\nmodeling, and stereolithography. Our results indicate that at higher\ncharging rates and increased areal mass loading, 3D structures can\noutperform traditional 2D electrodes, although the benefits may diminish\nwith more complex designs that are harder to manufacture. The observed\ngains in energy density are attributed to improved electrode utilization\nand reduced diffusive energy losses. This comprehensive analysis of\nstructure–performance relationships will provide valuable insights\nto guide future research on 3D designs, material selection, and AM\ntechniques for additively manufactured battery electrodes.