A Yolk-Shell Design for Stabilized and Scalable Li-Ion Battery Alloy Anodes

Journal Article · Wed May 02 04:00:00 EDT 2012 · Nano Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/nl3014814· OSTI ID:1047381

Liu, Nian; Wu, Hui; McDowell, Matthew T.; Yao, Yan; Wang, Chongmin; Cui, Yi

Silicon is regarded as one of the most promising anode materials for next generation lithium-ion batteries. For use in practical applications, a Si electrode must have high capacity, long cycle life, high efficiency, and the fabrication must be industrially scalable. Here, we design and fabricate a yolk-shell structure to meet all these needs. The fabrication is carried out without special equipment and mostly at room temperature. Commercially available Si nanoparticles are completely sealed inside conformal, thin, self-supporting carbon shells, with rationally designed void space in between the particles and the shell. Finally, the well-defined void space allows the Si particles to expand freely without breaking the outer carbon shell, therefore stabilizing the solid-electrolyte interphase on the shell surface. High capacity (~2800 mAh/g at C/10), long cycle life (1000 cycles with 74% capacity retention), and high Coulombic efficiency (99.84%) have been realized in this yolk-shell structured Si electrode.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US), Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1047381
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-87888; 46697; KP1704020
• Journal Information: Nano Letters, Journal Name: Nano Letters Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 12; ISSN 1530-6984
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
ALLOYS
ANODES
CAPACITY
CARBON
DESIGN
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTRODES
EQUIPMENT
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
FABRICATION
LITHIUM IONS
MATERIALS
PARTICLES
RETENTION
SILICON
Silicon nanoparticle
Li-ion battery
anode
yolk-shell
solid-electrolyte interphase
in situ TEM
USES
VOIDS