Several lithium battery components have recently been found to be susceptible to short circuiting. These issues have caused outright bans of certain products. However, the problems continue to exist and require significant solutions. This invention addresses these issues by providing improved structural and physical characteristics of lithium battery articles.
One aspect of the invention involves thin metallized current collectors. Thin metal layers with thermally unstable base layers result in lower weight and a safer energy storage device.
The other aspect of the invention is an internal fuse for a lithium battery. The internal fuse prevents high temperature from being triggered when short circuiting occurs. This reduces the likelihood of fire and other damages to the battery.

In addition, a separator is provided to help prevent the anode and cathode from shorting electrically. This can be accomplished using any number of different materials. Typical materials for the anode include graphite and lithium manganese oxide. Other materials that can be used include polyvinylidene fluoride, carboxymethyl cellulose and other conducting additives.

The other aspect of the invention involves the use of a plastic separator that can be removed from the short area. This can help reduce the overall volume of the battery and reduce the cost. A separator is usually made from plastic or metal.
Another improvement is the addition of a binder polymer to the ion storage material. The binder improves the adhesion between the ceramic particles. This will also increase the dimensional stability of the films.