Method for producing low porosity electrode

Claim 1

A process for making electrode and electrolyte cell assemblies comprising the steps of: a) forming a first mixture having a total parts by weight of 100 with at least 20 parts by weight and up to 70 parts by weight of a first volatilizable solvent, and a first electrode composition present in an amount of up to 80 parts by weight; said first electrode composition comprising a first aprotic polar solvent, which is less volatile than said first volatilizable solvent, an anode intercalation carbon active material, and first monomers or prepolymers characterized by an ability to form a crosslinked network, said amount of up to 80 parts by weight of said first electrode composition comprising 25 to 85 percent by weight of said anode intercalation carbon active material; b) forming a second mixture having a total parts by weight of 100 with at least 20 parts by weight and up to 70 parts by weight of a second volatilizable solvent which is the same as or different from said first volatilizable solvent, and a second electrode composition present in an amount of up to 80 parts by weight; said second electrode composition comprising a second aprotic polar solvent which is the same as or different from said first aprotic polar solvent, and which is less volatile than said second volatilizable solvent, a vanadium oxide cathode intercalation active material, a conductive filler, and second monomers or prepolymers characterized by an ability to form a crosslinked network and being the same as or different from said first monomers or prepolymers, said amount of up to 80 parts by weight of said second electrode composition comprising 25 to 85 percent by weight of said vanadium oxide cathode intercalation active material represented by the formula V 6 O 13 ; c) applying a coating of one of said first and second mixtures onto a first substrate to provide a first applied coating; d) removing at least a portion of the volatilizable solvent from said first applied coating of step (c); e) compacting said first applied coating of step (d) to reduce porosity of said first applied coating; f) exposing said compacted first applied coating of step (e) to heat, light, or other initiating means to at least partially crosslink the monomers or prepolymers; g) applying a coating of the other one of said first and second mixtures onto a second substrate to provide a second applied coating; h) removing at least a portion of the volatilizable solvent from said second applied coating of step (g); i) compacting said second applied coating of step (h) to reduce porosity of said second applied coating; j) exposing said compacted second applied coating of step (i) to heat, or other initiating means to at least partially crosslink the monomers or prepolymers; and k) further including after step (e), the further steps of applying an electrolyte composition to said first or said second applied coating, said electrolyte composition comprising third monomer or prepolymers, and exposing said third monomer or prepolymers to heat, light, or other initiating means to at least partially crosslink the third monomers or prepolymers.