This manuscript reports on the manufacturing and characterization of sodium carboxymethylcellulose-based, Li-ion positive electrodes with high active material mass loadings using only water as a solvent. The effect of different calendering forces on the aqueous processed cathode electrodes is also reported. Finally, the performance of balanced full Li-ion cells in pouch cell configuration is investigated. These Li-ion cells subjected to long-term cycling experiment displayed an average coulombic efficiency of 99.96% and retained a specific capacity of almost 70% of its initial capacity after 2000 cycles. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.