Structural Engineering and AgNO₃ Modification toward High-Performance Thick Graphite Electrodes

Thick electrode design has been widely regarded as an effective strategy to boost the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. Enhancing the electrochemical performance of thick graphite electrodes is crucial for this purpose. However, thick graphite electrodes suffer from the challenges of sluggish ion transport kinetics and inhomogeneous lithium intercalation reactions that usually lead to metallic lithium deposition on the surface and incomplete utilization of the active graphite. In this work, a synergistic strategy combining electrode structural engineering and interfacial chemical modification is proposed to address these challenges. The vertically aligned low-tortuosity channels are constructed via the phase inversion method to promote electrolyte infiltration and fast ion transport. Meanwhile, a small amount of AgNO₃ is uniformly impregnated into the electrode framework and converted into functional components during the first discharge process, which homogenize the Li-ion distribution. Consequently, the modified electrode exhibits accelerated activation behavior, enhanced rate capability (339.2 mAh g^-1 at 1C and 237.3 mAh g^-1 at 2C), and superior low-temperature adaptability (338.9 mAh g^-1 at 0 °C). Furthermore, with a mass loading of 15 mg cm^-2, a high areal capacity of 5.7 mAh cm^-2 is achieved. This work provides a promising strategy to realize high-performance thick graphite electrodes.