An All-Integrated Anode via Interlinked Chemical Bonding between Double-Shelled-Yolk-Structured Silicon and Binder for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Sticky spheres of silicon enhance electrodes

28 February 2018

Rechargeable batteries could deliver strong power for longer thanks to reinforced silicon spheres.

Silicon is a popular material for electrodes in rechargeable batteries, but it swells and shrinks, which eventually breaks the electrical contact. Protecting silicon inside a carbon shell can overcome this, but producing these spheres is complex and requires toxic chemicals.

A team including researchers from the University of Wollongong built an electrode from spheres of silicon in carbon shells, each with a silica core. The silica provided extra structural support while a gap between the silicon spheres and outer carbon shells accommodated swelling. The researchers then bound the nanospheres together with a mixture of cellulose and citric acid — two cheap and environmentally friendly chemicals. In a sample fuel cell, the electrode provided high electrical charge and retained 85 per cent of its original charge after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles.

These electrodes could improve the performance and safety of the next generation of rechargeable batteries.

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References

1. Advanced Materials 29, 1703028 (2017). doi: 10.1002/adma.201703028