Black Agglomerates Research Articles

OLIVE PITS-BASED CARBON BLACK AGGLOMERATE AS AN ADSORBENT FOR PIPETTE-TIP SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION FOR THE DETERMINATION OF CAFFEINE IN ENERGY DRINKS

Vegetal wastes are an interesting source for the synthesis of nanostructured carbon materials, which are potentially useful in various applications. Carbon black agglomerates (CBA) obtained from olive pits, synthesized in our previous research, had a low crystalline structure typical of this type of materials, with a pore size of 2.27 nm, confirming their micro/mesoporous structure, and with a high surface value of around 587 m2/g. These materials were used for the extraction of caffeine in energy drinks using a green-approach micro-sample technique called pipette-tip solid-phase extraction. This microextraction technique features reduced consumption of organic solvents, of the amount of sorbent and extraction time, thus making the whole sample pretreatment process faster and greener. In this work, we proposed an analytical method for the analysis of caffeine in commercial energy drinks, using CBA with a great extraction capacity due to its high porous surface area. The developed methodology has proven to be useful from a green chemistry point of view, using only one milligram of nanostructured sorbent, minimal solvent consumption, a reduced volume of sample, as well as easy and rapid automatization for the analysis of commercial energy drinks. For the quantification of the analyte in the energy drinks, a one-point standard addition calibration was applied to correct the matrix effect. Similar caffeine concentrations per milliliter were found in the three analyzed samples, likewise, the amounts of caffeine close to those reported by the manufacturers were established for two of the samples analyzed.

Microstructure effect analysis of carbon black-filled rubber composites

The unidirectional tensile stress-strain curves of four kinds of carbon black-filled rubbers with different volume contents were obtained by mechanical experiments, and the fine morphology maps of the carbon black-filled rubber composites were obtained by electron microscope experiments. Based on the hyperelastic constitutive model of rubber, an ellipsoidal carbon black particles randomly distributed finite element model was established using DIGIMAT and ABAQUS, and uniaxial tensile simulation was carried out on the established two-dimensional model. The effects of the volume fraction, distribution angle and number of agglomerates of carbon black particles on the stress-strain relationship curve and stress distribution of the composites were analyzed. The results show that: with the increasing volume fraction of carbon black particles, the stiffness value of the composite material becomes larger; when the particle direction is 0° to the load direction, the strength of the material is improved and the stress concentration phenomenon is less; with the increasing number of carbon black agglomerates, the strength of the composite material decreases and the stress concentration phenomenon is obvious in agglomerated area.

Synthesis and characterization of seed-based Carbon Black Agglomerates: Application as sorbent material using a novel microextraction technique for dexamethasone in urine sample determination

The growing development of Nanotechnology has allowed the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials with peculiar physicochemical properties. These nanomaterials have been applied in various scientific and industrial sectors. The present study established the synthesis of carbon black agglomerates (CBA) from waste vegetal materials as a source of renewable raw materials using a simple, fast, and effective procedure. Once this nanostructured material was obtained, several analytical techniques were applied to establish its main characteristics, including X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) theory analysis, and SEM imaging. The results of this characterization have made it possible to establish that these materials have properties that make them suitable for application as extracting sorbents in microextraction sample treatment techniques under the green analytical chemistry approach. In this study, we applied Pipette-tip SPE microextraction for pharmaceutical compound extraction studies, preparing extraction devices with less than five milligrams of the sorbent. The results showed high extraction percentages for compounds such as paracetamol, caffeine, diazepam, and dexamethasone. Finally, an application example of the last compound is presented, developing a procedure for its determination in urine samples by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) chromatographic analysis with high merit figures in terms of simplicity, high extraction efficiency, and environmental friendliness. Keywords: carbon black; nanostructured material; olive seed; microextraction; biological samples

A review of the shear rheology of carbon black suspensions

The microstructural link to the rheology of carbon black suspensions has recently become clear as a result of advances in computational and experimental methods. This understanding reveals the important role of the restructuring, build-up, and break-up of carbon black agglomerates in simple shear, rationalized by a dimensionless balance of the hydrodynamic forces acting to break the agglomerates apart against the cohesive forces holding them together (i.e., the Mason number). The Mason number not only can predict the origin of reversible thixotropy seen in carbon black suspensions observed at higher shear intensities, but can also be used to rationalize the evolution of microstructure at lower shear intensities. This review focuses on carbon black suspension behavior, but the insights derived from carbon black suspensions are broadly applicable to a diverse class of soft matter including colloidal gels relevant to a variety of applications.

Study of the Cathode Pt-Electrocatalysts Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide with Pt-SnO2 Hetero-Clusters

A complex study of the structure, morphology, and electrochemical properties of the Pt20/SnO210/RGO electrocatalyst is presented. The advantage of the chemical synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (c-RGO) compared to thermal methods (t-RGO) is due to the formation of graphene plates with amorphous carbon black agglomerates and the chemical composition of the surface. The nature of the interaction between platinum and tin dioxide particles and a conclusion about the formation of heterostructures Pt-SnO2 with the surface interaction of lattices excluding the formation of hetero phases has been established. This achieves high dispersity during the formation of platinum particles without significant agglomeration and increases the electrochemical surface area (ESA) of platinum to 85 m2 g−1 vs. carbon black. In addition, the surface interaction of particles and the formation of hetero-clusters Pt-SnO2 can cause the improved activity and stability of the Pt20/SnO210/c-RGO electrocatalyst.

COMBINED TECHNIQUES AND RELEVANT IMAGE PROCESSING FOR QUANTITATIVE STATISTICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF INCLUSIONS IN ELASTOMERS

ABSTRACT The properties of elastomeric materials are strongly influenced by the inclusions resulting from the ingredients and the elaboration process. A methodology is proposed to differentiate the inclusions harmful for fatigue (larger than a few micrometers) in elastomers according to their chemical nature, and to characterize them quantitatively with sufficient statistics. Three techniques are used and compared: digital optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) associated with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT). Six materials are used to challenge the methodology. In addition to the usual metal oxides and carbon black agglomerates, three atypical types of inclusions are highlighted, generating specific detection difficulties. A relevant image analysis procedure is developed to automatically detect the inclusions from the acquired images, more objectively and accurately than with the classical thresholding methods. The morphology and the spatial distribution of the different inclusions populations are then determined. μ-CT is the most comprehensive and accurate method for classification and statistical characterization of inclusions. Furthermore, relevant data on the size distribution of inclusions can be obtained using backscattered electrons (SEM-BSE) or digital OM. SEM-BSE provides more accurate results than digital OM.

In situ observation of microscopic damage and crack initiation mechanisms in a filled EPDM

The paper presents a precise 3D quantification of damage evolution and eventual crack initiation due to metallic oxide particles and filler agglomerates in a peroxide crosslinked filled EPDM during uniaxial solicitation, thanks to synchrotron radiation X-ray Tomography. An in-situ tensile study using this technique reveals polymer debonding at the poles of all metallic oxide particles upon stretching. The cavities caused by this decohesion do not lead to crack initiation since they grow parallel to the applied stress direction. Conversely, crack always initiates from carbon black agglomerates (CBaggl). The crack initiation mechanism is a three step process that begins with the nucleation of cavities inside the CBaggl upon stretching. This is followed by the growth of these cavities which brings about the fracture of the agglomerates. Finally, this fracture can lead to the creation of a matrix crack at the origin of the material rupture. It is also confirmed that CBaggl that initiate the critical crack in the material are the biggest sized CBaggl and are located close to the edges of the sample.

Analysing the Effects of High-Intensive Dry Mixing on the Calendering Process and Cell Performance of NMC622 Based Cathodes

A reliable design of production processes for the manufacturing of lithium-ion battery electrodes requires a deep understanding of the interdependency of processes, the resulting electrode microstructure and the influence on the cell performance indicators, like energy density, cycle life and aging. In the present study, the focus lays on the calendering process during which the electrode coating is compacted with the aim of adjusting uniform electrode properties such as mechanical, electrical and electrochemical behavior. Compaction of the electrode coating affects the pore structure and therefore has a crucial influence on the electrical and electrochemical behavior of the cell. Consequently, process and machine parameters have to be adapted in order to generate electrode structures optimized for a desired application. To meet this target, an in-depth understanding of how the calendering process affects the electrode structure beyond the simple reduction of porosity and further how the calendering process itself is affected by the preceding process steps like dry or wet mixing is mandatory.Thus, the focus of the presented work is to investigate the interdependency between the dry mixing process step and the subsequent calendering process by correlating powder properties adjusted via the dry mixing with the machine behavior during the calendering as well as the resulting coating density. The impact of the calendering process on the electrode microstructure and its correlation with electrode properties by developing process-product-property functions, regarding the above mentioned criteria, is an additional focus of the presented study.Therefore, powder mixtures of NMC622 with carbon black were created under varying the dry mixing intensity and thus adjusting the carbon black agglomerate size. The created powder mixtures were comprehensively characterized, e.g. particle size distribution and powder conductivity, and then used to build up electrodes which afterwards were compacted to different coating densities. The correlation between the powder properties and the calendering behavior shows a higher compaction resistance with decreasing carbon black agglomerate size. Whereas reducing the carbon black agglomerate size leads to lower electrical resistivity and therefore strongly impacts the C-rate capability.

Influence of operating temperature on the measured and predicted lifetime of carbon black-filled hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber

This work analyses the influence of the operating temperature on the lifetime of carbon black filled elastomers. The crack growth properties and the lifetime of elastomers are temperature dependent. The increase of temperature at the same nominal stress leads to an increase of crack growth rate and consequently to a decrease of the lifetime. The lifetime prediction is performed using the Monte Carlo principle. Carbon black agglomerate are randomly distributed in the investigated test volume. By combining the crack growth properties, agglomerate distribution and the local deformation in the component, the lifetime prediction can be performed. The prediction curves show good agreement with the measured lifetime at different operating temperatures and different loading levels.

Inner carbon black porosity as characteristic parameter for the microstructure of lithium-ion electrodes and its effect on physical and electrochemical properties

The conductive network within a lithium-ion battery electrode is mainly influenced by the process parameters chosen for the dry mixing and wet dispersing step during the production of a coatable electrode slurry, consisting of well-defined components. This conductive network, which results from the electrode's microstructure, plays a major role for the resulting battery cell performance, especially for high performance and power applications. Notable differences can be observed in the subsequently manufactured electrodes due to process-related modifications in the carbon black agglomerate size; mechanical, electrical, and, thus, electrochemical properties are significantly changing with the process parameters set. To allow for a direct correlation of these properties with the electrode structure, a characteristic parameter to describe the carbon black structure in electrode coatings is developed. Based on mercury intrusion measurements, the internal porosity of carbon black particles was determined as a characteristic parameter for the conductive microstructure. For a wide variety of lithium-ion battery cathode samples, the carbon black porosity can be well related to important electrode properties. This underscores the relevance of this carbon black-based microstructure parameter for a knowledge-based process and product optimization.

Impact of the occurrence probability of carbon black agglomerates on the measured and predicted durability of filled elastomers

AbstractThis work analyses the impact of the sample geometry on the stress or strain concentration and the occurrence of big agglomerates in the investigated test volume. Although the three investigated dumbbell test specimens were loaded at the same stress level, there were significant differences in measured lifetime. These differences in the lifetime are due to the occurrence of the large agglomerates in the tested volume. The probability of occurrence of large agglomerates increases with increase in the investigated volume. In the lifetime prediction by Monte Carlo method, this effect is realized by changing the quantity of the distributed agglomerates in the mesh of the simulated model. The prediction of the different sample geometries shows a very good agreement with the measurement points. The numerical simulations illustrate the stress increase for the three used lifetime test samples.

Compressive Fatigue Behavior of Gum and Filled SBR Vulcanizates.

The influence of carbon black on physical mechanical properties, compressive fatigue life, and the temperature changes during compression fatigue process of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) vulcanizates were explored. A series of unfilled and filled SBR compounds were prepared, and the compressive fatigue behaviors of the vulcanizates were performed on a mechanical testing and simulation (MTS) machine. The top surfaces of the filled SBR were imaged using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after 105 cycles of compressive fatigue. The filled SBR shows greater compressive fatigue resistance than the unfilled SBR. The incorporation of carbon black into SBR improves the creep resistance. The best compressive fatigue resistance for the filled SBR was achieved by the addition of 30 phr carbon black. With the increase of carbon black content, the energy dissipation and the heat build-up increase simultaneously. Furthermore, SEM images of the vulcanizates suggest that the crack propagation mechanism of the unfilled and the filled SBR was different. For the unfilled SBR, due to periodical compressive stress, the polymer chains can be destroyed, and the cracks can be easily initiated and propagated, showing serious damage on the top surfaces of the specimen. However, for the filled SBR, the carbon black agglomeration around the cracks can greatly delay the generation of the cracks, decrease the fatigue damage, and ultimately improve the fatigue resistance.

Exploring novel Cr(VI) remediation genes for Cr(VI)-contaminated industrial wastewater treatment by comparative metatranscriptomics and metagenomics

Microbial remediation is a promising method to treat Cr(VI) in industrial wastewater. The remediation efficiency and stress-resistance ability of Cr(VI) remediation genes in microbes are the limiting factors for their application in industrial wastewater treatment. To screen novel highly efficient Cr(VI) remediation genes, comparative metatranscriptomic and metagenomic analyses were performed on long-term Cr(VI)-contaminated riparian soil with/without additional Cr(VI) treatment. The most suitable Cr(VI) treatment time was determined to be 30 min according to the high quality RNA yield and fold changes in gene expression. Six novel genes, which had complete open reading frames (ORFs) in metagenomic libraries, were identified from unculturable microbes. In the phenotypic functional assay, all novel genes enhanced the Cr(VI) resistance/reduction ability of E. coli. In the industrial wastewater treatment, E-mcr and E-gsr presented at least 50% Cr(VI) removal efficiencies in the presence of 200–600 μM of Cr(VI), without a decrease in efficiency over 17 days. The stress resistance assay showed that gsr increased the growth rate of E. coli by at least 30% under different extreme conditions, and thus, gsr was identified as a general stress-response gene. In the Cr valence distribution assay, E-mcr presented ~40 μM higher extracellular Cr (III) compared to E-yieF. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of E-mcr showed bulk black agglomerates on the cell surface. Thus, mcr was identified as a membrane chromate reductase gene. This research provides a new idea for studying novel highly efficient contaminant remediation genes from unculturable microbes.

Study of reinforcement mechanism and structural elucidation of expanded graphite‐carbon black hybrid filler‐SBR nanocomposites through comprehensive analysis of mechanical properties and small angle X‐ray data

AbstractUse of hybrid fillers as a reinforcing agent for polymers is found to be critical step toward developing a high‐performance composite material. However, limited know‐how on the nature of interaction of the hybrid fillers with the polymer chains resulted in a major impediment toward large‐scale transmissibility of such a technology. Herein, we report about a strategy, wherein the polymer composite (free of curatives), comprising of hybrid filler and its gel was leveraged to effectively understand the physics involved toward reinforcement. Styrene‐butadiene random copolymer as the matrix, and combination of expanded graphite and carbon black (N220) as the model hybrid filler were selected. The hybrid filler containing composite (SG22) demonstrated significant improvement in terms of the physico‐mechanical properties such as tensile strength, modulus and so forth compared to the neat carbon black‐filled system (S22). Stress‐relaxation studies indicated that SG22 registered minimal decay in the force with time compared to S22. SG22 demonstrated a gel fraction of 68 ± 1% while 56 ± 1% was noted for S22. Further, rheometric studies like strain sweep, frequency sweep, complex viscosity of the gel fragments indicated the formation of fractal network of the hybrid fillers inside the polymer matrix. Small angle X‐ray studies corroborated the crucial role played by the expanded graphite sheets in determining the microstructure of the composite owing to their lubrication effect and segregation of carbon black agglomerates by cutting through their sharp edges resulting in a well‐distributed filler network.

Tattoo pigment agglomerates measured in skin biopsies by computerised light microscopy

Black tattoo reactions are suggested to be foreign body reactions manifested as papulo-nodular inflammation that is associated with active sarcoidosis. To study the morphology of black and red pigment agglomerates in skin biopsies from tattoo reactions, referenced to clinical diagnoses. Agglomerate count, area, width, height, circumference and circularity were measured in 161 patients by light microscopy (Olympus BX51™); 161 unstained skin biopsies from 64 black tattoo reactions and 97 reactions in red tattoos with allergy. Images (Jenoptic Gryphax RGB camera) were taken through a 40× objective using immersion oil. Computerised analysis of agglomerates was performed using ImageJ software. Student t test, chi-square test, Fisher Exact test, ANOVA and Bonferroni tests were applied. Comparison of black and red pigment agglomerates showed no overall differences in count, area, width, height or circumference. However, in black tattoo reactions, the count of agglomerates was higher in patients with sarcoidosis (P=.009) vs no sarcoidosis. Black agglomerates were more circular shaped as compared to red, P=.023. In red tattoo reactions, agglomerates in patients with allergic cross-reactivity were slightly more circular (P=.036) vs patients with milder allergy. The count of red agglomerates was lower in patients clinically typed excessive hyperkeratosis (P=.041) compared with other clinical types of allergy. Patients with reactions in black tattoos associated with sarcoidosis have increased count of pigment agglomerates vs those without associated sarcoidosis indicating that black pigment agglomeration is one among a number of factors triggering sarcoid tattoo complication. Circular shape of agglomerates may code for bioactivity.

Tattoo pigment agglomerates measured in commercial ink stock products by computerised light microscopy.

The incidence of clinical complications such as granuloma formation and sarcoidosis is often seen in black tattoos and may be associated with agglomeration of black pigment. To measure count and dimensions of agglomerates in black tattoo inks vs red inks and to compare old inks and new inks of identical brands. Examination was performed by light microscopy (Olympus BX51™ ) with magnification 40X, immersion oil. Photographs (Jenoptik Gryphax RGB camera) were taken of each ink sample and analysed by ImageJ software; count, area, width, height, circumference and circularity index were measured. Agglomerates were defined as width and height of objects above 800nm. Twenty-one new unopened black inks and 17 new unopened red inks were compared. Furthermore, five old black inks and five old red inks, that had been opened and stocked for over 2years, were compared with new products of the same brands. Black agglomerates were area wise and with respect to width, height and circumference significantly larger compared with red agglomerates and more circularly shaped. Count of agglomerates was lower in black inks than in red inks, in accordance with bigger dimensions of black agglomerates. Comparison of old and new inks indicated old inks have larger agglomerates but variable bottle size and storage conditions may have confounded results. Pigment agglomerates in black tattoo ink stock products were sized larger than agglomerates in red inks. Agglomerates found directly in black inks may predispose to granuloma formation in black tattoos causing sarcoid reaction.

A discrete particle packing model for the formation of a catalyst layer in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

We developed a reconstruction simulation model for a catalyst layer of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell to elucidate the effect of the size and shape of the catalyst agglomerates on the cell performance. The geometry of the catalyst layer was obtained by simulating the packing of carbon black agglomerates in ink modeled as multisphere objects by the discrete element method. Electrochemical reaction and mass transfer were modeled based on the resulting three-dimensional geometry of the catalyst. Both the size and shape of the agglomerate significantly influence the catalyst structure and performance. Branched agglomerates lead to higher porosity, larger pore sizes, and better cell performance. For each agglomerate shape, there is an optimum size at which the performance is the maximum, because of the optimum trade-off relationship between the oxygen diffusion and proton conduction. Understanding the mechanism of the catalyst formation can aid the design of catalysts to improve their performance.

Observations of a novel strengthening mechanism in HDPE nanocomposites

Previous strengthening mechanisms described in literature for high density polyethylene (HDPE) carbon nanotubes composites are typical of those observed in fibre reinforced polymeric micro composites. Here, we present a new molecular level strengthening mechanism based on HDPE carbon nanotubes composite, which has not been reported before to the best of authors’ knowledge. The HDPE nanocomposite was produced by melt intercalation technique via twin-screw extrusion. Thereafter, the samples were subjected to mechanical tensile tests and scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were found to be disentangled from the polymer molecules after yielding and prior to breaking. SEM and optical microscopic observations revealed visible black agglomerate bands at 45° appeared after yielding and prior to the breaking of the ductile HDPE. It was observed that CNTs were pushed out from the intricate mechanical interlocking with the thermoplastic polymeric chains of HDPE during strain hardening.

Changes in the Morphology and Size of Carbon Black Agglomerates upon Mechanical Activation

The effect that mechanical activation performed for 5–30 min in an AGO-2 planetary mill with the centripetal acceleration of the milling bodies of 300 m s–2 exerts on the size and morphology of agglomerates of P399 carbon black and on the physicomechanical and conducting properties of rubber stocks prepared by blending SKMS-10 ARK rubber and P399 carbon black was studied.

Electrochemical Performance of Lithium-Ion Batteries As a Function of Linked Influences Originating from the Dispersing and Calendering Step

Lithium ion batteries for PHEV`s, HEV`s and EV`s have to meet different requirements like high energy density, high power density and always low production costs at high durability. As wide-spread standard, electrodes for lithium ion batteries are produced by mixing and dispersing active materials with conductive additives, binder and solvent. In a subsequent step, the coated electrodes are calendered to homogenize the electrode thickness. These two process steps strongly influence the electrode’s electrochemical performance in the battery cell. Thus, high quality mixing, deagglomeration and dispersing of all solid components in the solvent and a high-precision calendering has to be ensured to produce high performance electrodes. One important aspect in the dispersing process is the deagglomeration of carbon black. Modifying the agglomerate size and shape of carbon black has a strong influence on the electrochemical performance due to structural changes of electrode properties like electrode porosity and conductivity. On the other hand, these structural changes also occur in the calendering step, where electrodes are compressed and electrode thickness and density are adjusted. For this reason, our work focuses on experiments regarding the changes in electrochemical performance due to different deagglomeration degrees of carbon black and subsequent calendering process step. The electrodes were processed with a continuously operated twin-screw extruder. Suspensions with differently deagglomerated carbon black were produced by varying the tensile stress acting inside the suspension and the residence time through changes in the tip speed of extruder screws and volumetric flow rate of solids and solvent at constant solids content in the suspension. In order to examine the influence of carbon black on the electrochemical performance, the agglomerate size of different suspensions was identified via laser diffraction analysis using a Horiba LA-960 Laser Particle Size Analyzer with two light sources, a laser diode with 650 nm and a light emitting diode (LED) with 405 nm wavelength. The analysis displayed a strong bimodal distribution with a shifting peak in the single-digit µm-range representing carbon black agglomerates and a stationary peak at a few hundred nanometers representing smaller carbon black aggregates. A pilot-scale coater with a combined reverse-roll comma bar system and a dryer length of 6 meters was used to produce electrodes continuously out of selected suspensions. Afterwards, the electrodes were compressed with a pilot-scale calender. In this step, a density of 2.8 g/cm³ on cathode side and 1.5 g/cm³ on anode side was set as standard. Structural properties of differently produced electrodes were analyzed using mercury porosimetry and electrode conductivity analysis. Mercury porosimetry was used to visualize changes in the pore structure of electrodes, especially in a range of 0.1 to 4 µm pore diameter. In this pore size range the varying agglomerate sizes and the calendaring step have a great impact on the electrode´s pore structure. Changing the size of carbon black agglomerates also significantly influences the properties of the carbon black conductive network which results in a modified electrode conductivity: A finer distribution and better deagglomeration of carbon black lead to higher electrode conductivity. This is beneficial to some degree for the electrochemical performance at higher c-rates. On the other hand, the calendering process also changes the electrodes structure by modifying the electrodes thickness, porosity and, in conclusion, the electrodes density. Of greater significance is the fact, that the calendering step leads to a larger contact surface between active material particles, carbon black and current collector. Within certain limits, this results in a better electrochemical performance. Linking these influences of different process steps reveals possible interactions which lead to an optimized process control. The effect of structural changes on the electrochemical performance of electrodes was examined performing c-rate-tests up to 5 C and long-term cycling at 1C in full cells. The influence of changes in electrode properties became apparent especially at higher c-rates, where limiting effects in ionic and electrode conductivity, influenced by electrode porosity and conductivity, become more important. Good electrochemical performance only is attainable with suitable electrode porosity and well-developed conductivity network of carbon black. Summing up all experimental results we are able to relate process parameters and structure properties of the electrodes and link these structural changes with the resulting electrochemical performance. Significant differences in electrochemical performance were traceable to structural changes in the electrodes, which necessitate distinct process know-how in the different process steps. This process-structure-property-relationship enables a deeper understanding for the continuously operating industrial processes of extrusion and calendering leading to an optimized production of electrodes for lithium ion batteries. Figure 1