Work

A high-performance Li-ion anode from direct deposition of Si nanoparticles

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: Nanostructured silicon has been intensively investigated as a high capacity Li-ion battery anode. However, the commercial introduction still requires advances in the scalable synthesis of sophisticated Si nanomaterials and electrodes. Moreover, the electrode degradation due to volume changes upon de-/lithiation, low areal electrode capacity, and application of large amounts of advanced conductive additives are some of the challenging aspects. Here we report a Si electrode, prepared from direct deposition of Si nanoparticles on a current collector without any binder or conducting additives, that addresses all of the above issues. It exhibits an excellent cycling stability and a high capacity retention taking advantages of what appears to be a locally protective, yolk-shell reminiscent, solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. Cycling an electrode with a Si nanoparticle loading of 2.2 mg cm −2 achieved an unrivalled areal capacity retention, specifically, up to 4.2 mAh cm −2 and ~ 1.5 mAh cm −2 at 0.8 mA cm −2 and 1.6 mA cm −2 , respectively.

Source: Nano Energy

DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2017.06.011