Particles in electrospun polymer fibers with thermal response properties

An electrode structure for a lithium ion battery comprising:

• an electrode selected from a cathode including a lithium-based material selected from the group consisting of Lithium Manganese Oxide (LMO), Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO), Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC), and Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP), or an anode including a conductive material selected from the group consisting of carbon black, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and graphite;
• a three-dimensional structure with nanofiber bonded microspheres forming a melt-convertible encapsulation layer on at least one surface of the electrode, the melt-convertible encapsulation layer comprising:
• a network of nanofibers, wherein the diameter of the nanofibers is approximately from 100 to 300 nm for carrying polymer microspheres on the electrode surface via stacking of layers of polymer microspheres-coated nanofiber interconnecting network;
• the polymer microspheres being embedded in and coated on at least one surface of the network of nanofibers, wherein a ratio of the diameter of the polymer microspheres to the diameter of the nanofibers is over 30 and a mass ratio of the polymer microspheres to the polymer nanofibers is at least 3:1,
• wherein the polymer microspheres melt to form a dielectric coating, thereby covering the surface of the electrode and nanofibers to provide a medium on spreading the molten polymer microspheres so as to prevent short circuit, fire or thermal runaway at a temperature approximately from 100 to 200° C.