What Electrode Specs to Send a Coating Service

When you order electrodes, send a coating service the specs that decide whether the electrodes fit your cells: active material and recipe, target areal loading with tolerance, calendered density or thickness, foil type and thickness, single- or double-sided coating, coated width and margins, format and quantity, and the quality data you need back. A complete spec sheet removes most back-and-forth emails and the risk of electrodes that do not match your cell design. Copy the template below.

What electrode specs to send to a coating service: the template

Spec	What to write	Must fix or can the service advise?
Active material	Name, supplier, batch; who supplies it	Must fix
Recipe	Active : conductive carbon : binder ratio; binder and solvent	Fix if known; otherwise ask for a standard recipe
Areal loading	Target and acceptable range (mg/cm² or mAh/cm²)	Must fix
Calendered density or thickness	Target after pressing, or “not calendered”	Fix if known; service can advise
Current collector	Foil material and thickness	Must fix
Sides	Single- or double-sided	Must fix
Coated width and margins	Coating width, uncoated edge for tabs	Must fix for pouch cells
Format	Rolls, sheets or punched discs; sizes	Must fix
Quantity	Length, area or number of discs, plus spares	Must fix
Quality data	Loading measurements, thickness, photos	Must fix
Packing	Sealed, dried, with desiccant; delivery date	Must fix

 

Material and recipe

Name the active material, supplier and batch, and say whether you are sending it or the service should source it. If you have a working recipe, give the ratio of active material, conductive carbon and binder, and the binder and solvent. If you do not, say so; a service can propose a standard starting recipe for screening, but tell them it is for screening so they do not over-optimise.

Loading, thickness and density

Specify areal loading first, because it ties directly to cell capacity and electrode balance. Thickness alone is not enough: two coatings of the same thickness can carry different amounts of active material. Give a target and a tolerance you can live with. If you need calendered electrodes, state the target density or final thickness; if you will calender yourself, say “not calendered”.

Foil and format

State the foil material and thickness for each electrode, whether coating is single- or double-sided, and the coated width with any uncoated margin you need for tabs. Then choose the format your cells need: rolls for multi-layer pouch cells, sheets for single-layer cells or analysis, punched discs for coin cells. For discs, give the diameter; our guide to coin cell punch diameters covers common cathode and anode sizes.

Quality data to ask for

• Loading measured at several points per sheet or along the roll.
• Thickness before and after calendering.
• Photos of the coating surface and edges.
• Drying conditions used before packing; settings depend on the binder.
• Batch identifiers that match the labels on the delivery.

Common spec mistakes

• Giving thickness without loading.
• Leaving out the tolerance, so any result is “in spec”.
• Forgetting the uncoated margin for pouch-cell tabs.
• Ordering rolls when only coin cells are planned.
• Not saying who supplies the active material.
• No delivery packing requirements, so electrodes arrive damp.

A good spec makes results comparable from batch to batch; it does not guarantee the electrodes will perform well in your cells. Our electrode coating and fabrication service works from specs like these, and the Canrd team can check your sheet before you send it.

Frequently asked questions

Should I specify areal loading or coating thickness?

Areal loading, with a tolerance. Loading sets how much active material is in the electrode and therefore cell capacity and balance. Thickness depends on density and calendering, so the same thickness can hold different amounts of material. Add a target thickness or density only if you also need calendering.

Single-sided or double-sided coating for coin cells?

Coin cells normally use single-sided electrodes punched into discs, while multi-layer pouch cells often need double-sided coating. Order the type your cell format needs, and say so clearly on the spec sheet so the service sets up the right process.

What foil thickness should I ask for?

Use the foil your cell design and material supplier recommend, and keep it the same through coin and pouch stages so results stay comparable. State the foil material and thickness for each electrode on the spec sheet, and ask the service whether it handles that foil routinely.

 

Have your spec sheet ready? Send it to us, and we will confirm or suggest changes before coating: share your requirements.