What is a Silicon Anode?
What silicon substrate specs are commonly use to fabricate silicon anode?
Silicon anodes are commonly fabricated on silicon substrates that have a high level of crystallographic orientation and low impurity content. The substrate's crystallographic orientation is typically in the (100) or (111) direction, with the (100) direction being the most commonly used.
The substrate's thickness can vary depending on the specific application, but it is typically between 100 and 500 micrometers. Additionally, the surface of the substrate must be clean and free of any contaminants or particles that could interfere with the anode's fabrication.
Furthermore, the substrate's surface is usually coated with a layer of silicon oxide to act as a barrier and prevent further reaction with the electrolyte during the anode's use.
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Video: Company Makes New Battery With Greater Power Than Lithium Using Silicon Anodes
What are the Benefits of Silicon Anodes Over traditional Anodes?
Silicon anodes have several advantages over traditional anodes for electric vehicle batteries:
- Higher energy density: Silicon anodes can store up to ten times more lithium ions than traditional graphite anodes. This means that the battery can store more energy in the same amount of space, resulting in a higher energy density.
- Faster charging: Silicon anodes can absorb lithium ions more quickly than graphite anodes, which means that the battery can be charged more quickly.
- Longer lifespan: Silicon anodes are more durable than graphite anodes, which means that they can last longer and require less frequent replacement.
- Lower cost: Silicon is abundant and inexpensive, which means that silicon anodes can be produced at a lower cost than traditional graphite anodes.
- Environmentally friendly: Silicon anodes are more environmentally friendly than graphite anodes because they are made from a renewable resource and do not require the use of toxic chemicals during production.
Overall, silicon anodes offer a significant improvement over traditional anodes for electric vehicle batteries, providing higher energy density, faster charging, longer lifespan, lower cost, and greater environmental sustainability.
What is a Silicon Anode?
Generally speaking, a silicon anode is an anode made from silicon. The advantage of using silicon is that the silicon anode is a highly conductive material and is therefore suited for use in electronic applications. However, silicon is not the only material available for use as an anode. For example, PNNL, the National Nuclear Laboratory, has developed a silicon-carbon composite material that exhibits high conductivity and low particle level expansion.
Patents relating to silicon anodes
Approximately 1,100 patents relating to silicon anodes were filed in 2016, with the largest filer being Samsung. The Silicon Anode patent landscape has evolved from a handful of South Korean and Chinese companies to a number of newcomers from Asia and Europe. This report analyzes the landscape and provides a detailed view of the key patents, their legal status, and other important information.
The report presents a comprehensive overview of the key players in the silicon anode patent landscape. It also provides an analysis of key patents and recent IP developments. It also highlights the supply chain of silicon anode-based Li-ion batteries and the key patents assigned to key players.
Silicon anodes offer higher energy density and stability compared to graphite. These batteries are environmentally friendly. The battery industry is expanding, and more companies are investing in silicon-based materials.
The Silicon Anode patent landscape includes key IP players, including SVOLT, Murata, CATL, Sony, Panasonic, and NEO Battery Materials. The report highlights the key silicon-based materials in patents and provides a detailed view of the supply chain of silicon anode-based lithium-ion batteries.
Silicon anode materials can be classified into two categories: nanoscale silicon particles combined with graphite or porous silicon structures. Porous silicon structures have a higher surface area-to-volume ratio than bulk silicon and have been proven to be effective battery anodes. These anodes are supported on bulk silicon or on other substrates.
Silicon anode materials can be manufactured through a number of different processes. In high-loading silicon anode production methods, conductive polymer membranes are used to coat the anode film. Alternatively, bulk silicon or carbon can be used.
Silicon anode material manufacturers have identified a need for a binder to hold the anode film in place on the current collector substrate. Currently, conventional graphite anodes are calendared to about 70% of their original film thickness.
Applications in consumer electronics, healthcare, and industrial applications
Compared to graphite-based anodes, silicon anode batteries offer a large energy capacity. Silicon-based anodes are also environmentally friendly. These types of batteries are used in several industrial and healthcare applications.
Silicon anode batteries are expected to gain popularity over the coming years. The applications of silicon anode batteries are expanding significantly, with the rising demand for energy storage systems and electric vehicles. The silicon anode battery market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 21.5% over the forecast period.
The silicon anode battery market is segmented into applications and geographical regions. The United States is the leading region by value share, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The market in North America is expected to witness a CAGR of 21.4% during the forecast period.
Silicon anode batteries are being manufactured from a variety of materials. The battery can be used in a number of applications, including electric vehicles, off-grid solar power systems, UPS systems, medical equipment, and more. The battery has high energy density, which means it lasts longer between charges.
Silicon anode batteries are expected to be commercialized by 2020. In the coming years, silicon anode batteries will provide high-performance batteries for energy storage applications. The lithium ion battery market has been dominated by graphite-based anodes, which discharge quickly. However, silicon-based anodes have the potential to improve energy density and increase the lifespan of batteries.
The silicon anode battery market has received a significant boost from partnerships between manufacturers. These partnerships aim to produce high-performing batteries that meet market demand. These partnerships provide companies with new opportunities to expand into the silicon anode battery market.
The major players in the silicon anode battery market include Sila Nanotechnologies, Enevate Corporation, and Nexeon Ltd. These companies are actively forming partnerships with other industry participants. In 2019, Sila Nanotechnologies received an investment of US$ 170 million from auto giant Daimler. The company hopes to ramp up its production unit in 2020.
The large volumetric expansion effect of a silicon anode
Developing silicon anode batteries for energy storage systems is an important challenge. Battery manufacturers are looking for high energy density batteries, and silicon anodes are a viable solution. However, silicon anodes are limited by rapid capacity degradation during long-term cycling. Understanding the degradation mechanism can improve performance.
Volume expansion of silicon particles during cycling can lead to pulverisation of the electrode structure, which can affect the working potential. Engineered porous structures can help mitigate volume expansion. In this study, porous silicon/carbon composite anodes were fabricated. These silicon/graphene/graphene nanoribbon hybrid anodes demonstrated high initial capacities and excellent rate capability. These anodes were fabricated using a scalable method.
Compared to Si/Gr anodes, the rate capability of silicon/graphene/graphene nanoribbon hybrid anodes was improved. These nanostructured electrodes exhibited an initial capacity of 1873.7 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C. After 350 cycles, less cracking was observed in Si/Gr anodes with pores. This is attributed to the engineered porous structure.
To study the chemical composition and morphology of silicon and graphite, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were conducted. The results showed that the SOC of the silicon particles was significantly higher than the SOC of the graphite. This is due to the shorter transport length of Li+, which reduces the surface degradation.
Anode cross-sections were prepared using an air isolation system and an ion-beam cross-section polisher. After the preparation, the cell was assembled with the aid of a pouch cell. The thickness changes were measured using the Mitutoyo Dilatometer.
After 350 cycles, the open-circuit voltages decreased in both anodes. The voltage profiles are shown in Fig. 4a. The Si/Gr anode shows three peaks. The anodic side shows a red triangle at 65.4% SOC, which indicates the third stage transition.
PNNL's silicon-carbon composite exhibits high conductivity and low particle-level expansion
PNNL researchers have developed a silicon-carbon composite material that exhibits a high conductivity, low particle-level expansion, and high mechanical integrity. This new material is based on micron-sized porous silicon particles that are fabricated through a scalable process. The process delivers fine structure control to the porous silicon, while minimizing heat release during high-volume production.
These micron-sized particles can be used in the conventional battery manufacturing process. The material exhibits high purity and density, which allows for a high first cycle efficiency of around 90 percent. This composite material can be a direct replacement for graphite. It is also highly stretchable, which could be useful for detection of quick human actions. Its stability and rate performance are also impressive.
PNNL scientists developed the silicon-carbon composite material by employing a wet chemical process that requires precursors that are readily available. The composite material also contains 20 wt% CVD carbon, which is used to control the surface area. This carbon coating prevents oxidation of the nano-Si particles in air. The carbon coating also provides lubricative properties and maintains the porous architecture during calendering.
The composite material is stable under low temperature, and the particle-level expansion is low. It has an initial capacity of 2441 mAh g -1, which is comparable to commercial nano-Si. It also retains 72% of its capacity after 240 cycles, and retains 90% of its capacity after 100 cycles.
The composite material also has an excellent rate performance, which is achieved through a core-shell structure that is coated with graphitic layers. The resulting composite material has a density of about 0.15 g cc -1. The high specific capacity of the composite allows for a remarkable first cycle efficiency of around 90 percent.
Oxis Energy's pursuit of an all-metal anode
Among the lithium-sulfur battery companies, Oxis Energy has been working on a new class of electrolyte for nearly four years. They have filed nine new patent families in this field. And they are developing a battery system that is 40 percent lighter than the current Li-Ion battery pack. OXIS also hopes to build a factory that will mass produce the batteries by 2023.
The company has also developed a prototype lithium-sulfur pouch cell that achieves over 470 Wh/kg. It is expected that this cell will reach 500 Wh/kg within a year. OXIS research scientists hope to push the energy density of their lithium-sulfur pouch cell to 600 Wh/kg by 2025.
OXIS plans to build two manufacturing facilities: one will assemble and produce key cell components in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and the other will produce batteries in Port Talbot, Wales. It has also built the largest test facility in Europe. OXIS will also double its cell production capacity in 2020.
Oxis is also working on a new lithium-metal anode that is coated with thin layers of ceramic. This will improve the anode's stability in a Li/S cell configuration. It is important to remember that these ceramic coatings must be mechanically robust and must not hinder the electrochemical reaction within the cell.
As with all batteries, Oxis is also developing a thermal management system. The company is currently investigating several different methods, including computational modeling and exploring cooling systems. It also plans to integrate the new cells into an electric boat designed by Williams Advanced Engineering.
OXIS is also collaborating with several electric aircraft makers. It has also signed a deal with Texas Aircraft to develop an all-electric Colt S-LSA aircraft. The aircraft is expected to have a range of over two hours.
Silicon Anode Discussion
In this review, we discuss and introduce a new method for the synthesis of silicon anodes, a material that can be structured in a variety of ways for a variety of applications. In the review, we list silicon anodes and synthesis methods that have led to a number of new applications in semiconductors, photonics, semiconductor materials and photovoltaics. [Sources: 3]
This includes the use of silicon anodes in photovoltaics, semiconductors, photonics and semiconductor materials, as well as in a variety of other applications such as solar cells. [Sources: 1]
Simplifying and standardizing the process of converting silicon into nanoscale particles could increase the number of products that silicon anodes could use for batteries. Silicon anodes may be a key component in increasing the storage capacity of lithium-ion batteries, but there are still significant technical hurdles to overcome before silicon can be used as an anode material, as lithium ions cannot be stored in the same amount of space as other materials in a battery, such as copper, nickel or cobalt. Silicon-based materials for the production of a high capacity, low cost lithium-ion battery. [Sources: 7, 8, 11]
One of the well-known methods for producing silicon anode materials is the conversion of silicon materials into nanoscale particles to produce silicon columns or nanoscale columns. [Sources: 10]
Such silicon structures can have all the physical structural properties required to form a silicon anode that can at least double the capacity of graphite anodes in batteries. [Sources: 2, 10]
In this respect, silicon (Si) has been considered as a possible alternative to graphite anodes for the production of lithium-ion batteries and is expected to offer a significant increase in energy density. Based on our work, we believe that the use of silicon as an anode in batteries in the next generation of energy storage is justified by the inclusion of silicon anodes. [Sources: 12]
By swapping graphite for silicon, significantly more lithium ions can be stored in the anode, which increases the battery's energy capacity. The result is that silicon anodes bind much more lithium ions than graphite. In addition, silicon is the most promising candidate for replacing graphite, as it has a much higher energy density than the other two types of lithium-ion batteries. When discharged, it can have a maximum energy density 1,000 times higher than graphene, even if it is fully charged and has a lower discharge voltage. [Sources: 7, 8, 15]
As the silicon nanoparticles in the anode grow larger, they can crack the protective layer surrounding them, the Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI). Since silicon is conductive and ideal from this perspective, it expands and contracts by oscillating ions between the electrodes, displacing silicon particles in and out of the electrolyte, destabilizing the solid electrolyte interphase (SEi) layer. [Sources: 4, 5]
In addition to the electrolyte solution, the metal cations form a lithium-metal-silicon phase that is more stable than lithium and silicon. When the battery is discharged, lithium ions flow out of the silicon anode, shrinking it to its original volume. In silicon-based anodes, the lithium ion flux increases, but not in density, while the metal ions do not. [Sources: 7, 13]
A MXen material plate forms a network that allows for more orderly uptake of lithium ions, which prevents the silicon anode from expanding and decaying. The slurry is poured into a single layer of the lithium-metal-silicon phase, and the plates form a series of networks that allow for "more orderly" uptake or "lithium ionization," which prevents the silicon anodes from expanding and decomposing, and the formation of a solid electrolyte solution. A layer of mud cast into a - a - that slumbers in a silicon-metal-silicon phase and forms a series of cross-linked networks. [Sources: 9]
The silicon nanotube - based on anode material - exhibits improved stability and higher rate-of-ability compared to conventional silicon bulk anodes. The inventors realized that there was no need for a solidified metal alloy to contain the silicon structure. Residual metals can remain in the etching process, but this does not appear to affect the performance of the anODE material. [Sources: 3, 10]
It is known that silicon can be used as an active anode material instead of graphite (see e.g. Adv. Silicon has a lot of potential and is one of the few materials that, as a new anode material, is vying for the attention of researchers. The potential of silicon anodes clearly attracts more investment and research today, and is expected to emerge in the next generation of high-performance, low-cost silicon chips. [Sources: 0, 7, 10]
In the Silicon Deep Dive project, the researchers focused on establishing a baseline for silicon material by implementing a silicon anode in a lithium-ion cell. The team dipped the silicon anodes in a special solution by adding lithium powder, triggering a chemical reaction in which electrons and lithium ions seeped into the electrodes. [Sources: 6, 14]
The result was a gel electrolyte with a high concentration of lithium ions, which can act as a catalyst for the conversion of silicon into lithium ions and vice versa. The new cell chemistry significantly reduced the need for traditional electrolytes that attack cells, such as sodium chloride and sodium sulfide. [Sources: 5, 13]
Sources:
[0]: https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/02/18/new-method-to-produce-silicon-anodes-for-lithium-ion-batteries/
[1]: https://news.3m.com/English/press-releases/press-releases-details/2012/3M-Invests-in-Novel-Silicon-Anode-for-Lithium-Ion-Batteries/default.aspx
[2]: https://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=829
[3]: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnm/2017/4780905/
[4]: https://www.army.mil/article/234908/researchers_embrace_challenge_to_develop_high_energy_batteries
[5]: https://www.electropages.com/blog/2020/01/could-silicon-anodes-be-made-more-stable
[6]: https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2021/silicon-anode-research-offers-pathway-to-increased-driving-range.html
[7]: https://www.mewburn.com/news-insights/increasing-battery-capacity-going-si-high
[8]: https://pvbuzz.com/silicon-battery-technology/
[9]: https://www.designnews.com/electronics-test/silicon-anodes-may-improve-lithium-ion-batteries
[10]: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8962183B2/en
[11]: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41918-018-00028-w
[12]: https://www.materialstoday.com/amorphous/articles/s1369702116300888/
[13]: https://www.anl.gov/article/new-electrolyte-stops-rapid-performance-decline-of-nextgeneration-lithium-battery
[14]: https://newatlas.com/energy/pre-loaded-silicon-anodes-lithium-battery-density/
[15]: https://www.wired.com/story/welcome-to-the-era-of-supercharged-lithium-silicon-batteries/