Slurry preparation

As will be detailed throughout this book, the state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery (LIB) electrode manufacturing process consists of several interconnected steps. There are quality control checks strategically placed that correlate material properties during or after a particular step that provide details on the processability (i.e., compatibility with downstream manufacturing processes) and, sometimes, projected performance of the finished product. In this chapter, we will begin this exploration by starting with the first step in the state-of-the-art LIB process, which is preparation of the electrode slurry. Alternative terms to "slurry," such as ink, paste, or (less commonly) dispersion, are sometimes used in academia or industry.