Bioderived silicon nano-quills: synthesis, structure and performance in lithium-ion battery anodes
Date
2024-03-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Green Chemistry
Abstract
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are bioderived one-dimensional species with versatile surface chemistry and unique self-assembling behavior in aqueous solutions. This work presents a scientific approach to leverage these characteristics for creating CNC network templates and processing them to engineer a novel silicon (Si)-based material called silicon nano-quill (SiNQ) for energy storage applications. The SiNQ structure possesses a porous, tubular morphology with a substantial ability to store lithium ions while maintaining its structural integrity. The presence of Si suboxides in the SiNQ structure is demonstrated to be crucial for realizing a stable cycling performance. One of the defining attributes of SiNQ is its water dispersibility due to Si–H surface bonds, promoting water-based Si-graphite electrode manufacturing with environmental and economic benefits. The incorporation of only 17 wt% SiNQ enhances the capacity of graphitic anodes by ∼2.5 times. An initial coulombic efficiency of 97.5% is achieved by employing a versatile pre-lithiation. The SiNQ-graphite anodes with high active loading, when subjected to accelerated charging/discharging conditions at 5.4 mA cm−2, exhibit stable cycling stability up to 500 cycles and average coulombic efficiency of >99%. A generalized physics-based cyclic voltammetry model is presented to explain the remarkable behavior of SiNQs under fast-charging conditions.
Description
This article was originally published in Green Chemistry. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1039/D4GC00498A. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2024
Keywords
affordable and clean energy, industry, innovation, and infrastructure, responsible consumption and production
Citation
Chen, Nancy, Morteza Sabet, Nawraj Sapkota, Mihir Parekh, Shailendra Chiluwal, Kelliann Koehler, Craig M. Clemons, Yi Ding, Apparao M. Rao, and Srikanth Pilla. “Bioderived Silicon Nano-Quills: Synthesis, Structure and Performance in Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes.” Green Chemistry 26, no. 8 (2024): 4691–4702. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4GC00498A.