Key design considerations for blended electrodes in Li-ion batteries

Blended electrodes, containing two or more active materials, are already a key part of commercial battery cells, especially ones used in EVs. Yet, surprisingly, research on them at a fundamental level remains limited. This work aims to shed light on their unique characteristics, discuss how best to study them, and offer practical guidelines for designing them effectively. A particular emphasis is placed in specific cell designs to study them, such as the decoupled blend cell. This allows the study of each material separately within the same system, helping to assess effective rates. Beyond experimental techniques, this work also touches on modeling approaches for blended electrodes aiming at predicting performance, fine-tune material combinations, and accelerate the development of better electrode formulations. By combining all these strategies, a deeper understanding of blended electrodes should be achieved, ultimately enabling improving battery performance, longevity, and efficiency. Given their growing role in commercial energy storage, continued research is essential to unlock their full potential and push battery technology forward.