Our aim is to develop novel anode electrodes with integrated heating metal mesh for fast, low-energy and highly-uniform pre-heating of Li-ion batteries (LiBs) to improve their electrochemical performance at low-temperature environmental conditions. Today, LiBs are widely used in various applications, offering high power, energy density and long cycle life. However, at sub-zero temperatures, their available energy is limited, due to reduced discharge capacity, poor delivered power and inability of charging because of dramatically increased cell resistances, while safety issues arise from potential short-circuits caused by lithium plating[1]. Several efforts have been made at cell material level, using nanostructured/alternative anode materials, special electrolytes, cathodes with doping or reduced particle size[2][3][4], however these solutions face great challenges until commercial adoption. At operational level, batteries can be preheated from low temperatures to a higher specified temperature before operation, by external methods, such as air, liquid and PCM heating, or internal methods, using internal resistances, mutual pulses and alternating current[5]. A promising strategy, proposed by Wang et al., includes a self-heating “all-climate battery” that utilizes insulated Nickel foils, sandwiched between two single-sided anode layers, to pre-heat the battery and enable fast-charging at low temperatures[6].Alternatively, we propose the “AIM” electrode structure, in which an ultra-thin copper mesh coated with insulating polymer is integrated inside the anode active material layer. The mesh is electrically connected with the current collector on one side and a third battery tab on the other side. In this configuration, if an electrical voltage is applied between the third and the anode tab, the mesh will be heated through Joule effect and thus heat up the active material. Due to local heating, it is expected that the preheating stage will be fast, uniform and low power.
