The research work of this project is focused on synthesis and application of the silicon based lithium-ion battery anode. Fundamental mechanism studies on the performance improvement of the silicon anode are carried out. Firstly, comprehensive literature review on the silicon based lithium-ion battery anode is performed with a chronicle perspective to better elucidate the background of the development of the silicon anode. Secondly, silicon based anode with different morphology and structures are synthesized based on thermosetting polymers, followed by systematic structure characterization. Thirdly, silicon based lithium-ion battery electrodes with different compositions are fabricated and the electrochemical performance, particularly, the cyclic stability is characterized. Fourthly, the impact of the different factors including morphology, and binder on the cyclic performance is investigated in a comprehensive way. Fifthly, the mechanism for performance improvement brought by the morphology, and binder is investigated and further studies will be continued.
The results of the project so far can be summarized briefly as following: 1. Establishing synthetic methods for silicon/carbon composite based on thermosetting polymer and nanostructured silicon anode with significantly improved rate or cyclic performance. 2. Identifying possible role and working mechanism of the high performance water based binder for silicon based lithium-ion battery anode with good cyclic performance. 3. Performing comprehensive literature review on the history of the research on the silicon based lithium-ion battery anode over last thirty years for the first time and writing a review article. Three peer-reviewed papers have been published (Nano Energy 2017, ACS Nano 2017, and ACS Nano 2018). The results about the binder will possibly overturn the common knowledge well accepted by the lithium-ion battery community, which is fundamentally novel. Further studies are being continued. The outcome on the nanostructured silicon and silicon/carbon composite studies will provide facile scalable and practically relevant ways to synthesize silicon based anode with improved electrochemical performance.
