Laser structuring has emerged as an effective strategy to improve lithium-ion battery (LIB) electrode performance by enhancing electrolyte diffusion and ionic conductivity within the electrode. In this work, laser structuring of LIB cathodes is investigated using two different laser sources: a femtosecond pulsed laser and a single-mode continuous wave (CW) laser. Because of its ultrashort pulse, the femtosecond laser enables highly localised material removal through cold ablation, minimising thermal impact on the material and resulting in high-quality structuring. In contrast, the single-mode CW laser is explored as a potentially faster alternative for industrial electrode structuring. The geometry and density of structured patterns were investigated in relation to the laser source used. In particular, both hole and line configurations, the spatial distribution across the electrode surface, as well as percentage depth of removed material and defect formation were analysed to elucidate the individual contribution of each parameter to the resulting electrochemical performance. Overall, the study demonstrates that laser structuring of LIB electrodes represents an effective strategy to enhance capacity and fast-charging by reducing ionic resistance and decreasing electrode tortuosity. The results highlight that properly optimised laser structuring enables stable cycling even at high charge/discharge rates up to 5C as well as offering a valuable trade-off between electrochemical performance and processing efficiency with laser speeds up to 10 m/s.
Keywords
- Electrode Structuring
- Laser Structuring
- Lithium-Ion Batteries