Battery-active materials are routinely evaluated via the electrochemical performance of their composite electrodes which are prepared with standard formulations and routine processing conditions. The relationship between electrochemical responses and formulation variables are not commonly explored, however, and mechanical properties are almost never considered. We therefore offer some quite basic studies of the effects of formulation on these properties for the most common Li-ion chemistry-LiCoO2 particles with PVDF binders, focusing on the effects of porosity and microscopic structure. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.