Electrode structures for three-dimensional batteries

An electrode structure comprising a population of electrodes, an electrode bus, a population of counter-electrodes and a microporous separator separating members of the electrode population from members of the counter-electrode population, the populations of electrodes and counter-electrodes being arranged in an alternating sequence in which members of the electrode population are separated from each other by members of the counter-electrode population with the alternating sequence proceeding in a first direction, each member of the electrode population comprising an electrode active material layer and an electrode current collector layer having lateral surfaces, each member of the electrode population having a bottom, a top, a length LE, a width WE and a height HE, the length LE being measured from the bottom to the top of each such electrode, the width WE and the height HE being measured in directions that are perpendicular to each other and to the direction of measurement of the length LE, the ratio of LE to each of WE and HE being at least 5:1, respectively, the ratio of HE to WE being between 0.4:1 and 1000:1, respectively, wherein (i) the electrode active material layer is disposed on each of the lateral surfaces of the electrode current collector layer in members of the electrode population, (ii) the electrode current collector layer of each member of the electrode population has a length LE-C that is measured in the same direction as and is at least 50% of length LE, (iii) the electrode current collector layer of each member of the electrode population is attached and electrically connected to the electrode bus which, in turn, pools current from all of the members of the electrode population and provides an electrically conductive pathway between each individual member of the electrode population and a battery terminal, (iv) the electrode bus has a length LE-B, a width WE-B and a height HE-B, the length LE-B being measured in the first direction and the width WE-B and the height HE-B being measured in directions that are mutually perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the first direction with the ratio of LE-B to each of WE-B and HE-B being at least 5:1, and (v) the electrode population has N members, the counter-electrode population has N+1 members, and N is at least 10.