▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - Anode active material layer (10) comprises multiple anode active material particles and a conductive additive that are substantially embedded in and bonded by a matrix resin comprising a high-elasticity polymer having a recoverable tensile strain from 5% to 1,000% when measured without an additive or reinforcement in polymer and a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10-6 S/cm at room temperature, where high-elasticity polymer consists of essentially an elastomer or rubber, forming a network of lithium ion-conducting pathways, and the amount of conductive additive (16) is sufficient to form a network of electron-conducing pathways that are in electrical contact with the anode material particles and where the elastomer or rubber matrix acts to maintain the structural integrity of the anode electrode, preventing interruption of the electron- and lithium ion-conducting pathways when the anode active material particles repeatedly expand and shrink in volume during battery cycling. USE - Anode active material layer for a lithium battery (claimed). ADVANTAGE - The amount of conductive additive is preferably sufficient to form a three-dimensional network of electron-conducing pathways that are in electrical contact with the anode material particles. Such an elastomeric or rubbery matrix also acts to maintain the structural integrity of the anode electrode, preventing interruption of the electron- and lithium ion-conducting pathways when the anode active material particles repeatedly expand and shrink in volume during battery cycling. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for: 1. a lithium battery, which comprises a anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte in ionic contact with anode and cathode; and 2. a method for producing the anode active layer, which involves a) dispersing multiple primary particles of an anode active material, a conductive additive, and a resin binder in a liquid medium to form a slurry; b) forming the slurry onto at least a surface of an anode current collector and removing the liquid medium to form at least an anode layer bonded to the anode current collector, where the anode layer is porous containing pores, c) preparing a liquid solution comprising a thermoplastic elastomer dissolved in a liquid solvent and impregnating the liquid solution into pores of the porous anode layer and d) removing the liquid solvent to precipitate out a matrix resin comprising the thermoplastic elastomer, where the matrix resin embraces the primary particles of the anode active material and the conductive additive to form the anode active layer. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a schematic view of a anode electrode comprising elastomer matrix-protected anode particles and conductive additive (e.g., carbon nanotubes or graphene sheets). 10Anode active material layer 12Copper foil 14Multiple primary particles 16Conductive additive 18Rubber matrix