锑硅纳米复合薄膜作为钠离子电池负极材料的电化学行为研究

近年来, 合金作为钠离子电池的负极材料具有较高的比容量而受到广泛关注。然而, 硅与钠离子的电化学反应活性很低, 硅基合金型负极材料鲜有报道。本研究通过脉冲激光沉积技术制备了锑硅(Sb-Si)纳米复合薄膜, 并对其作为钠离子电池负极材料的电化学性能和反应机理进行了研究。电化学性能表征发现, 锑硅纳米复合薄膜在10 μA/cm²的电流密度下, 循环100次后能保持约0.011 mAh/cm²(270 mAh/g)的可逆比容量, 远优于同样方法和条件下制备的单质锑和单质硅薄膜电极的电化学性能。进一步的研究表明, 在放电过程中, Sb和Si分别和钠离子发生合金化反应生成了Na₃Sb和NaSi的纳米晶。在充电过程中, Na₃Sb和NaSi纳米晶发生可逆的脱钠反应, 重新形成单质Sb和Si纳米晶粒。大量存在于锑硅纳米复合薄膜中的异质晶界有利于钠离子的扩散和输运, 从而提高了纳米复合薄膜电极的电化学性能。     

二次可充放电电池用硒化锡负极材料的研究现状

硒化锡(SnSe、SnSe_2)因其特殊的层状晶体结构以及较高的导电性,有望成为锂/钠离子电池的负极材料。但是硒化锡负极在充放电过程中体积会反复变化,导致电极结构及表面SEI膜(电极与电解液界面)遭到破坏,使活性材料失去电接触,从而导致循环容量迅速衰减;此外,硒化锡转化反应中间产物Li_2Se/Na_2Se的导电性较差,阻碍了电荷的传输,从而影响了硒化锡电极的电化学反应活性。本文针对硒化锡电极在储锂/钠过程中存在的问题,总结了提升其电化学性能的手段,并概述了国内外学者从构建特殊纳米结构和复合结构等层面上采取的解决办法,揭示了其电化学存储机制以及能够获得的电化学性能。     

锂离子电池用三维网状水系黏结剂的研究进展

硅材料由于具有很高的理论比容量(4200 mAh·g-1)而成为下一代锂离子电池的关键负极材料之一,但是其在嵌/脱锂过程中会产生巨大的体积变化,使电极的循环性能变差.黏结剂作为电极的主要成分之一承担着连接电极组分、维持电极结构稳定的重要作用,使用合适的黏结剂对于改善硅基负极的循环稳定性至关重要.带有极性官能团的水系黏结剂由于可以有效改善硅基负极的电化学性能而成为现在的研究热点.本文综述硅基负极水系黏结剂的研究进展,首先对单一线性结构黏结剂的性质进行归纳总结.在此基础上,对具有三维网状结构的复合黏结剂的研究进展进行重点介绍,详细讨论不同类型三维网状黏结剂的结构和性能特点,以及应用于硅基负极时对电极性能的改善效果.最后,提出硅基负极水系黏结剂所应具备的特性,旨在为硅基负极水系黏结剂的开发和选择提供思路.     

硅材料及其电化学研究进展

硅材料是现代信息科技的主要载体,而其电化学研究则是正确认识和应用硅材料的前提和基础.从硅的表面和界面特性出发,综述了硅的电化学方面的研究进展,阐述了硅电极的阳极和阴极反应行为,总结了硅的刻蚀以及多孔硅的电化学形成机制和影响因素,并进一步展望了硅材料电化学研究的未来发展方向.     

锂离子电池硅/碳复合负极材料的研究进展

负极理论容量最大的硅在充放电过程中,体积过度膨胀粉化导致容量衰减快,成为其作为商用负极材料的最大障碍.碳材料不仅具有一定的电化学活性,结构也较稳定,可以作为硅电极的"缓冲基体";具有高容量和优良循环性能的硅-碳复合负极材料已经成为该领域的研究热点.按照碳材料的分类,评述了Si/C复合电极材料,并初步展望了该领域的研究方向.     

K_2CO_3添加对提高Si/C负极电化学性能的作用

本文研究了Si/C锂离子电池负极材料中K_2CO_3的添加对提高电极电化学性能的作用及其作用机理。采用恒流充放电测试和电化学阻抗谱(EIS)研究了不同K_2CO_3添加量对Si/C负极电化学性能的影响;通过扫描电镜(SEM)和傅里叶红外光谱(FTIR)等方法分析了K_2CO_3添加对Si/C负极在循环过程中结构和成分变化的影响。研究结果表明,加入K_2CO_3后,由于电极在循环过程中结构稳定性增强以及电极的固体电解质界面(SEI)膜阻抗和电荷转移阻抗减少,使Si/C负极的循环稳定性和倍率性能得到明显提高。     

硅负极添加剂对锂离子电池的影响

选用乙炔黑(AB)、SuperP、VulcanXC-72和BP2000四种导电剂, 研究其物化性能及含量对硅电极电化学性能的影响; 探讨了粘合剂种类和用量对硅电极电化学性能的影响。采用场发射扫描电子显微镜对硅电极的形貌进行表征; 采用恒流充放电测试及循环伏安法对硅电极的电化学性能进行测试。结果表明, 导电剂SuperP具有良好的导电性、适中的比表面积(75.8 m²/g)和颗粒尺寸(39.2 nm), 有利于提高硅负极的循环性能及倍率循环性能。采用15wt%的导电剂 SuperP与15wt%的粘合剂CMC所制备的电极循环50次后可逆比容量保持在1143.8 mAh/g。     

人造固态电解质界面在锂金属负极保护中的应用研究

锂金属具有最低的氧化还原电位(-3.04 V vs标准氢电极)和极高的比容量(3860 mAh·g~(-1)),是理想的锂二次电池负极材料。然而电化学循环过程中,由于锂的不均匀成核生长,其表面产生锂枝晶,锂枝晶持续生长会刺穿隔膜,造成电池短路甚至引发火灾。因此需要对锂金属负极进行保护,抑制负面问题,发挥高性能。人造固态电解质界面技术是一种有效的锂金属负极保护策略,本质是预先在锂金属表面涂覆上保护层,保护层具有较高的离子传导性和电化学稳定性、较好的阻隔性和机械强度,可得到高效率、长寿命和无枝晶的锂金属负极。本文将近年来人造固态电解质界面在锂金属负极保护中的研究进展进行综述,对其制备方法、结构特点、锂金属负极循环性能、全电池电化学性能等方面作了详细介绍,分析当前存在问题并指出锂金属负极研究不仅需要加深机理研究还得与实际应用相结合。     

人造固态电解质界面在锂金属负极保护中的应用研究EI北大核心CSCD

锂金属具有最低的氧化还原电位(-3.04V vs标准氢电极)和极高的比容量(3860mAh·g^-1),是理想的锂二次电池负极材料.然而电化学循环过程中,由于锂的不均匀成核生长,其表面产生锂枝晶,锂枝晶持续生长会刺穿隔膜,造成电池短路甚至引发火灾.因此需要对锂金属负极进行保护,抑制负面问题,发挥高性能.人造固态电解质界面技术是一种有效的锂金属负极保护策略,本质是预先在锂金属表面涂覆上保护层,保护层具有较高的离子传导性和电化学稳定性、较好的阻隔性和机械强度,可得到高效率、长寿命和无枝晶的锂金属负极.本文将近年来人造固态电解质界面在锂金属负极保护中的研究进展进行综述,对其制备方法、结构特点、锂金属负极循环性能、全电池电化学性能等方面作了详细介绍,分析当前存在问题并指出锂金属负极研究不仅需要加深机理研究还得与实际应用相结合.     

锂离子电池Si/C复合负极材料的合成与性能

采用球磨-热解工艺制备了Si/C复合负极材料。研究了球磨时间对Si/C复合负极材料结构和电化学性能的影响,并分析了电极的失效机理。研究结果表明,通过球磨可以将纳米硅颗粒均匀分散于石墨基体材料表面,同时,葡萄糖热解后形成的无定形碳使两者紧密结合。球磨3h合成的材料具有最优的电化学性能。以100mA/g的电流密度放电,首次放电容量达到1340mAh/g,首次充放电效率为75.6%,循环50次后,容量保持率为34.2%。     

Anomalous shape changes of silicon nanopillars by electrochemical lithiation

Silicon is one of the most attractive anode materials for use in Li-ion batteries due to its ～10 times higher specific capacity than existing graphite anodes. However, up to 400% volume expansion during reaction with Li causes particle pulverization and fracture, which results in rapid capacity fading. Although Si nanomaterials have shown improvements in electrochemical performance, there is limited understanding of how volume expansion takes place. Here, we study the shape and volume changes of crystalline Si nanopillars with different orientations upon first lithiation and discover anomalous behavior. Upon lithiation, the initially circular cross sections of nanopillars with <100>, <110>, and <111> axial orientations expand into cross, ellipse, and hexagonal shapes, respectively. We explain this by identifying a high-speed lithium ion diffusion channel along the <110> direction, which causes preferential volume expansion along this direction. Surprisingly, the <111> and <100> nanopillars shrink in height after partial lithiation, while <110> nanopillars increase in height. The length contraction is suggested to be due to a collapse of the {111} planes early in the lithiation process. These results give new insight into the Si volume change process and could help in designing better battery anodes.     

Interfacial Chemistry Effects in the Electrochemical Performance of Silicon Electrodes under Lithium-Ion Battery Conditions

Understanding the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation and (de)lithiation phenomena at silicon (Si) electrodes is key to improving the performance and lifetime of Si-based lithium-ion batteries. However, these processes remain somewhat elusive, and, in particular, the role of Si surface termination merits further consideration. Here, scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) is used in a glovebox, followed by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) at identical locations to study the local electrochemical behavior and associated SEI formation, comparing Si (100) with a native oxide layer (SiO_x/Si) and etched with hydrofluoric acid (HF-Si). HF-Si shows greater spatial electrochemical heterogeneity and inferior lithiation reversibility than SiO_x/Si. This is attributed to a weakly passivating SEI and irreversible lithium trapping at the Si surface. Combinatorial screening of charge/discharge cycling by SECCM with co-located SIMS reveals SEI chemistry as a function of depth. While the SEI thickness is relatively independent of the cycle number, the chemistry – particularly in the intermediate layers – depends on the number of cycles, revealing the SEI to be dynamic during cycling. This work serves as a foundation for the use of correlative SECCM/SIMS as a powerful approach to gain fundamental insights on complex battery processes at the nano- and microscales.     

Graphene‐Bonded and ‐Encapsulated Si Nanoparticles for Lithium Ion Battery Anodes

Silicon (Si) has been considered a very promising anode material for lithium ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity. However, high‐capacity Si nanoparticles usually suffer from low electronic conductivity, large volume change, and severe aggregation problems during lithiation and delithiation. In this paper, a unique nanostructured anode with Si nanoparticles bonded and wrapped by graphene is synthesized by a one‐step aerosol spraying of surface‐modified Si nanoparticles and graphene oxide suspension. The functional groups on the surface of Si nanoparticles (50–100 nm) not only react with graphene oxide and bind Si nanoparticles to the graphene oxide shell, but also prevent Si nanoparticles from aggregation, thus contributing to a uniform Si suspension. A homogeneous graphene‐encapsulated Si nanoparticle morphology forms during the aerosol spraying process. The open‐ended graphene shell with defects allows fast electrochemical lithiation/delithiation, and the void space inside the graphene shell accompanied by its strong mechanical strength can effectively accommodate the volume expansion of Si upon lithiation. The graphene shell provides good electronic conductivity for Si nanoparticles and prevents them from aggregating during charge/discharge cycles. The functionalized Si encapsulated by graphene sample exhibits a capacity of 2250 mAh g^?1 (based on the total mass of graphene and Si) at 0.1C and 1000 mAh g^?1 at 10C, and retains 85% of its initial capacity even after 120 charge/discharge cycles. The exceptional performance of graphene‐encapsulated Si anodes combined with the scalable and one‐step aerosol synthesis technique makes this material very promising for lithium ion batteries.     

Lithium-assisted electrochemical welding in silicon nanowire battery electrodes

From in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, we present direct evidence of lithium-assisted welding between physically contacted silicon nanowires (SiNWs) induced by electrochemical lithiation and delithiation. This electrochemical weld between two SiNWs demonstrates facile transport of lithium ions and electrons across the interface. From our in situ observations, we estimate the shear strength of the welded region after delithiation to be approximately 200 MPa, indicating that a strong bond is formed at the junction of two SiNWs. This welding phenomenon could help address the issue of capacity fade in nanostructured silicon battery electrodes, which is typically caused by fracture and detachment of active materials from the current collector. The process could provide for more robust battery performance either through self-healing of fractured components that remain in contact or through the formation of a multiconnected network architecture.     

Lithiation of ZnO nanowires studied by in-situ transmission electron microscopy and theoretical analysis

Transition-metal oxides constitute an important family of high-capacity anodes for Li-ion batteries. ZnO is a model material due to the high theoretical capacity and its representative reaction mechanism upon lithiation. We investigate the structural evolution, mechanical degradation, and stress-regulated electrochemical reactions of ZnO nanowires during the first lithiation through coordinated in-situ transmission electron microcopy experiments, continuum theories, and first-principles computation. Lithiation induces a field of stress in ZnO nanowires. The stress field mediates the electrochemical reaction and breaks the planar solid-state reaction front into a curved interface. The tensile stress in the lithiated shell causes surface fracture in the basal plane of nanowires. The compressive stress in the unlithiated core retards local reactions and results in an uneven lithiation on a given basal plane. We also observe that metallic Zn nanoparticles aggregate in the amorphous matrix of the reaction products. At a critical size, Zn nanoparticles impede the propagation of the reaction front due to the thermodynamically unfavorable lithiation reaction. The results provide fundamental perspectives on the chemomechanical behaviors of oxides for the next-generation Li-ion batteries.     

Is Soft Carbon a More Suitable Match for SiOx in Li-Ion Battery Anodes? (Small 37/2023)

Silicon oxide (SiO_x), inheriting the high-capacity characteristic of silicon-based materials but possessing superior cycling stability, is a promising anode material for next-generation Li-ion batteries. SiO_x is typically applied in combination with graphite (Gr), but the limited cycling durability of the SiO_x/Gr composites curtails large-scale applications. In this work, this limited durability is demonstrated in part related to the presence of a bidirectional diffusion at the SiO_x/Gr interface, which is driven by their intrinsic working potential differences and the concentration gradients. When Li on the Li-rich surface of SiO_x is captured by Gr, the SiO_x surface shrinks, hindering further lithiation. The use of soft carbon (SC) instead of Gr can prevent such instability is further demonstrated. The higher working potential of SC avoids bidirectional diffusion and surface compression thus allowing further lithiation. In this scenario, the evolution of the Li concentration gradient in SiO_x conforms to its spontaneous lithiation process, benefiting the electrochemical performance. These results highlight the focus on the working potential of carbon as a strategy for rational optimization of SiO_x/C composites toward improved battery performance.     

Reassembled graphene-platelets encapsulated silicon nanoparticles for Li-ion battery anodes

Among lithium alloy metals, silicon is an attractive candidate to replace commercial graphite anode because silicon possesses about ten times higher theoretical energy density than graphite. However, electrically nonconducting silicon undergoes a large volume changes during lithiation/delithiation reactions, which causes fast loss of storage capacity upon cycling due to electrode pulverization. To alleviate these problems, electrodes comprising Si nanoparticles (20 nm) and graphene platelets, denoted as SiGP-1 (Si = 35.5 wt%) and SiGP-2 (Si = 57.6 wt%), have been prepared with low cost materials and using easily scalable solution-dispersion methods. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) analyses indicated that Si nanoparticles were highly dispersed and encapsulated between graphene sheets that stacked into platelets in which portions of graphite phases were reconstituted. From the galvanostatic cycling test, SiGP-1 exhibited a reversible lithiation capacity of approximately 802 mAh/g with excellent capacity retention up to 30 cycles at 100 mA/g. Further cycling with a step-increase of current density (100-1,000 mA/g) up to 120 cycles revealed that it has an appreciable power capability as well, showing 520 mAh/g at 1,000 mA/g with capacity loss of 0.2-0.3% per cycle. The improved electrochemical performance is attributed to the robust electrical integrity provided by flexible graphene sheets that encapsulated dispersed Si nanopraticles and stacked into platelets with portions of reconstituted graphite phases in their structure.     

Reversible Iron Oxyfluoride (FeOF)-Graphene Composites as Sustainable Cathodes for High Energy Density Lithium Batteries

Two large barriers are impeding the wide implementation of electric vehicles, namely driving-range and cost, primarily due to the low specific energy and high cost of mono-valence cathodes used in lithium-ion batteries. Iron is the ideal element for cathode materials considering its abundance, low cost and toxicity. However, the poor reversibility of (de)lithiation and low electronic conductivity prevent iron-based high specific energy multi-valence conversion cathodes from practical applications. In this work, a sustainable FeOF nanocomposite is developed with extraordinary performance. The specific capacity and energy reach 621 mAh g⁻¹ and 1124 Wh kg⁻¹ with more than 100 cycles, which triples the specific capacity, and doubles the specific energy of current mono-valence intercalation LiCoO₂. This is the result of an effective approach, combing the nanostructured FeOF with graphene, realized by making the (de)lithiation reversible by immobilizing FeOF nanoparticles and the discharge products over the graphene surface and providing the interparticle electric conduction. Importantly, it demonstrates that introducing small amount of graphene can create new materials with desired properties, opening a new avenue for altering the (de)lithiation process. Such extraordinary performance represents a significant breakthrough in developing sustainable conversion materials, eventually overcoming the driving range and cost barriers.     

Helical silicon/silicon oxide core-shell anodes grown onto the surface of bulk silicon

We demonstrate a simple route for preparing Si/SiO(x) urchin-like structures in which Si/SiO(x) core-shell nanocoils protruded out from the surface of bulk Si, via high-temperature annealing of Pt-decorated Si powders. The carbon-coated urchin-like anodes with micro- and nanostructured composite exhibit a significantly improved electrochemical performance with a high specific capacity of 1600 mAh/g and a superior cycling performance of 70 cycles at a rate of 0.2 C due to the nanocoil conformation and SiO(x) buffer layer. More importantly, the composite results in a significantly enhanced the volumetric capacity with ～3780 mAh/cc, compared to bulk Si (～2720 mAh/cc) after fully lithiation to 0 V.