Self-organized templates provide backbone for all integrated Li-ion batteries

Batteries as well as modern supercapacitors involve a surface redox reaction and an ion intercalation process on anodes and cathodes. For an optimum electrode performance, a broad range of ion intercalation materials in nanoscale morphologies is currently being investigated. The nanoscale assembly of electrodes is not only crucial to maximize the specific surface area (volumetric charging capacity with ions or electrons) and to efficiently use an optimized ion interaction thickness (solid state diffusion of the intercalating species of a few nm). However, classic geometries involving two nanostructured electrodes (such as in Figure 1a ) arranged either in a parallel or interdigitated configuration have limitations in view of an efficient intercalation reaction, especially at high charging/discharging rate due to (diffusion limited) Li ion depletion within the nanostructures or an irregular charge distribution along the nanostructure scaffold. 1 , 2 , 3 Figure 1 The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI. Full size image Schematic of ( a ) classic nanostructured Li ion battery and ( b ) newly designed all-in-one Li ion battery, with permission from Macmillan Publishers.