Stress Dispersed Cu Metal Anode by Laser Multiscale Patterning for Lithium-Ion Batteries with High Capacity

Abstract

Electric power production continues to increase as the industry advances, and the demand for high-capacity batteries for efficient operation of the electric power produced is higher than ever before. Si has been attracting a great deal of attention recently as an anode electrode material because of its high theoretical capacity. However, it suffers from significant capacity-loss, resulting from the volume-expansion of Si during charge and discharge cycles. Inspired by the multiscale structures commonly found in nature, we attempt to solve this problem by patterning the surface of the Cu current-collector. To this end, we develop a direct, one-step method using laser patterning to manufacture a multiscale structure on the surface of the current-collector. The inherent exfoliation characteristic of the Cu current-collector allows the spontaneous formation of the multiscale structure while being irradiated with a laser. A micro/nano structure, with a different surface area, is fabricated by varying the laser output at three levels, and the batteries prepared with the fabricated Cu current-collector are tested to evaluate their charge-discharge characteristics and electrochemical impedance. The results show that the multiscale structure reduces mechanical stress. The initial capacity of the Cu current-collector is proportional to the laser output, and the initial capacity of the coin cell prepared with the Cu current-collector, fabricated at the highest laser output, is 396.7% higher than that of the coin cell prepared with a bare Cu current-collector. The impedance is inversely proportional to the laser output. The charge transfer resistance of the coin cell prepared with the Cu current-collector and irradiated with the highest laser output is 190.2% lower than that of the coin cell prepared with the bare Cu current-collector.