Negative current collector improvement

The active material of the cathode (6) is pressed into the inner surface of a steel can (2). A separator (3) of unwoven plastic fabric and/or cellophane is inserted into the can, which contains the electrolyte and prevents internal shortings. A petal-shaped brass current collector is in the central part of the cell. The space between the separator and the current collector is filled with the anode paste (7), which consists of the alkaline solution gelled with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and zinc powder. An additional amount of pure electrolyte (9) is inside the current collector. To provide exchangeability with conventional cylindrical cells, the upper side of the cell has a bulge (1) that serves as the positive terminal. The bottom (13) serves as the negative terminal. To improve internal contact a pressure spring (12) is often used. The can is inserted into a metal jacket (4) with the insulator (5). 

Thus, lithium-ion battery technology is lar from being fixed. Numerous university-based researchers and industrialists are working on ways to improve lithium batteries, which involves better awareness of the properties of each of the two electrodes, the electrolyte, current collectors and the interactions between them. The domain is so complex that there are research teams specializing in the study of positive electrodes, whereas others specialize solely in the study of negative electrodes. 

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