Using all energy in a battery by Nancy J. Dudney, and Juchuan Li Science Volume 347(6218):131-132 January 9, 2015 Published by AAAS

Silver particles grow on the surface Silver particles grow on the surface.Scanning electron micrograph of a silver vanadium phosphate cathode after reduction with Li (15). Silver particles grow on the surface.Scanning electron micrograph of a silver vanadium phosphate cathode after reduction with Li (15). The composition of the material is similar but not identical to that studied by Kirshenbaum et al. Nancy J. Dudney, and Juchuan Li Science 2015;347:131-132 Published by AAAS

Fabricating Li-ion battery electrodes Fabricating Li-ion battery electrodes.(A) Traditional electrodes rely on a random arrangement of contacts and may result in parts of the battery not being accessible. Fabricating Li-ion battery electrodes.(A) Traditional electrodes rely on a random arrangement of contacts and may result in parts of the battery not being accessible. (B) Electrodes with physical or chemical bonds connecting the active particles to a conductive fiber perform better, but are difficult to make into a dense structure. (C) In Kirshenbaum et al.'s study, the electrode starts as a porous monolith. Upon reaction via lithium addition, a conductive metal such as silver moves to the particle surface as a thin conductive coating and small nodules. The metal coating and nodules provide a conductive pathway for electrons along all interior surfaces. If well formed, it should penetrate the entire volume of the electrode for full access of the stored energy. (D) In a conceptual, completely optimized battery electrode, every active particle is perfectly shaped, sized, and wired to the current collector and to the solid or liquid electrolyte (not shown). Nancy J. Dudney, and Juchuan Li Science 2015;347:131-132 Published by AAAS