Silicon‐Based Anodes for Advanced Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Abstract

The society's growing demand on long‐range electrical vehicles and long‐life consumer electronics put urgent requirement on the development of advanced lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) of high energy and low cost. Si, with top abundance and highest theoretical capacity to lithium, is expected to bump the LIB's energy density to above 300 Wh kg −1 at a relatively low cost. Over the past 2 decades, tremendous effort has been made in bringing Si‐based anode materials to the battery market. In this book article, we review the progress from three fundamental aspects: (i) Si nanostructure design; (ii) binder study; and (iii) electrolyte optimization and interphase engineering. We address the practical aspects of Si‐based anode materials and remaining challenges with a special focus on the full cell configuration. We hope the short walkthrough of the Si technology will help the readers have a quick grasp of the efforts made in improving the performance of Si‐based anodes and appreciate the outcomes of the fundamental research brought to the development of practical LIBs.

Multiple Network Binders via Dual Cross-Linking for Silicon Anodes of Lithium-Ion Batteries

“…Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), regarded as one of the most promising energy storage devices, have been widely applied in various fields in the flourishing human society. − However, the development of LIBs has been strangled by the limited energy density caused by the commercial graphite anode of 372 mAh/g. Impressively, silicon (Si) possesses an ultrahigh specific capacity of ∼4200 mAh/g and a low electrochemical potential of ∼0.4 V versus Li/Li + , which is deemed as the promising anodic material to pursue high energy density (>350 Wh/kg). − …”