Carbon-rich structures for suppression of thermal runaway, and electrodes and electrochemical cells containing the same

An electrode for an electrochemical device, comprising:

• a current collector;
• an active material layer comprising an active material, a first binder, and a conductive material;
• and
• a sacrificial carbon layer consisting of a carbon-based material and a second binder, the sacrificial carbon layer interposed between the current collector and the electrode active material layer,
• wherein the sacrificial carbon layer has a thickness of at least 10 μm,
• wherein the active material layer has a carbon content of no more than 7 wt %, and
• wherein a carbon content of the sacrificial carbon layer is greater than the carbon content of the active material layer.