Anode and lithium-ion secondary battery

1. An anode for lithium-ion secondary battery comprising:

a current collector; and

an active material-containing layer formed on the current collector,

wherein the active material-containing layer is comprised of an outermost layer disposed on the farthest side from the current collector, and a lower layer composed of at least one layer disposed between the outermost layer and the current collector, the outermost layer has a structure in which active material particles are bound by a binder, and the lower layer has a structure in which active material particles are bound by a binder,

wherein a degree of flexion of the outermost layer is larger than a degree of flexion of the lower layer,

wherein the degree of flexion of the lower layer is not less than 1.8 nor more than 3.0, and

wherein an average particle size of the active material particles contained in the outermost layer is smaller than an average particle size of the active material particles contained in the lower layer,

the degree of flexion of the outermost layer and the degree of flexion of the lower layer being defined as ratio: L′/L

where L is a thickness of a layer, which is any of the outermost layer and the lower layer, obtained by drawing a straight line A perpendicular to the layer, and

L′ is a numerical value, in the same unit as L, of a sum of maximum diameters of active material particles crossing the straight line A in a lateral direction perpendicular to the straight line A.

2. The anode according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of flexion of the outermost layer is not less than 3.0 nor more than 24.0.

3. The anode according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the outermost layer is smaller than a thickness of the lower layer.

4. The anode according to claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the outermost layer is smaller than a thickness of the lower layer.

5. The anode according to claim 3 , wherein the thickness of the outermost layer is not less than 3 μm nor more than 30 μm and wherein the thickness of the lower layer is not less than 50 μm nor more than 100 μm.

6. The anode according to claim 4 , wherein the thickness of the outermost layer is not less than 3 μm nor more than 30 μm and wherein the thickness of the lower layer is not less than 50 μm nor more than 100 μm.

7. The anode according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the outermost layer is not less than 3 μm nor more than 30 μm and wherein a thickness of the lower layer is not less than 50 μm nor more than 100 μm.

8. The anode according to claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the outermost layer is not less than 3 μm nor more than 30 μm and wherein a thickness of the lower layer is not less than 50 μm nor more than 100 μm.

9. The anode according to claim 1 , wherein an aspect ratio of active material particles contained in the outermost layer is not less than 3 nor more than 20.

10. A lithium-ion secondary battery comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte layer disposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein said anode is the anode as set forth in claim 1 .

11. The anode according to claim 1 , wherein the average particle size of the active material particles contained in the outermost layer is not less than 1.5 μm nor more than 20 μm and, the average particle size of the active material particles contained in the lower layer is not less than 24 μm nor more than 40 μm.

12. The anode according to claim 1 , wherein the active material particles are carbon materials.