Research on Electrode Structuring for Enhanced Battery Performance

Currently, alternative energy sources are attracting attention owing to environmental pollution and the depletion of fossil fuels. Lithium-ion batteries have a light weight, high energy density, high power density, and long cycle life, making them attractive alternative energy sources. Numerous studies have been conducted on high-performance batteries. However, most studies have focused on improving active material characteristics. Thus, there is a lack of research on battery performance enhancement through the improvement of the battery manufacturing process. In this study, we performed electrode structuring using a nanosecond laser in the power range of 1 W to 19 W (2 W intervals). The geometric changes after laser structuring were observed using a scanning electron microscope, and the electrode geometries were classified and measured in terms of ablation width and depth. The aspect ratio, removal amount, and removal rate of the active material were analyzed after laser structuring. A maximum aspect ratio of 0.77 was achieved. Additionally, the removal amount and removal rate of the active material increased with the increase in laser power. Therefore, we concluded that electrode geometry can be controlled using a nanosecond laser.