Composite current collector

A method of forming a current collector for a lithium-ion battery comprising:

• applying a first layer of functional material onto a top surface of a polymer substrate;
• applying a second layer of functional material onto a bottom surface of the polymer substrate;
• applying a first metal layer onto the first layer of functional material;
• and
• applying a second metal layer onto the second layer of functional material;
• wherein, each of the first and second functional layers comprise a matrix of a low melting point binding polymer material, and conductive carbon elements dispersed within the matrix of low melting point binding polymer material;
• and
• the first layer of functional material is positioned between and interconnecting the first metal layer and the substrate and the second layer of functional material is positioned between and interconnecting the second metal layer and the polymer substrate.

A lithium-ion battery having at least one current collector, the at least one current collector comprising:

• a polymer substrate having a thickness that is between about three micro-meters and about eight micro-meters and comprising an insulating polymer that is one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyimide (PI), or polylactic acid (PL or PLA);
• a first layer of functional material positioned onto a top surface of the polymer substrate and a second layer of functional material positioned onto a bottom surface of the polymer substrate, each of the first and second functional layers having a thickness that is between about one micro-meter and about two micro-meters and comprising:
• a matrix of a low melting point binding polymer material comprising at least one of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), Poly acrylic acid (PAA) and modified PAA, polyolefins, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), epoxy, phenolic aldehyde, unsaturated polyester, polyurethane, organic silicon, polyimide, and resin;
• and
• conductive carbon elements dispersed within the matrix of low melting point binding polymer material and comprising at least one of:
• one-dimensional carbon elements, two-dimensional carbon elements, and three-dimensional carbon elements;
• a first metal layer applied onto the first layer of functional material having a thickness that is between about three micro-meters and about six micro-meters and comprising one of copper, aluminum, titanium, nickel, silver, or stainless steel;
• and
• a second metal layer applied onto the second layer of functional material having a thickness that is between about three micro-meters and about six micro-meters and comprising one of copper, aluminum, titanium, nickel, silver, or stainless steel;
• wherein, the first layer of functional material is positioned between and interconnecting the first metal layer and the substrate and the second layer of functional material is positioned between and interconnecting the second metal layer and the polymer substrate.