Calendered electrode and method of making same

A method of making a calendered electrode for a battery cell, the method comprising:

• introducing a coated electrode having a first surface extending thereover, the coated electrode having a predetermined density of active materials for ion transport;
• drying the coated electrode to one of about 70 C for about 40 minutes and about 150 C for about 20 minutes;
• after drying, selectively modifying the coated electrode by patterning the first surface to define a patterned electrode having a first portion and a second portion;
• and
• after the step of selectively modifying, compressing the patterned electrode by calendering the first surface to provide the first portion having a first density of active materials and the second portion having a second density of active materials, the second density being greater than the first density to define the calendered electrode having a spatial variation of active material density.