Revival of Microparticular Silicon for Superior Lithium Storage

摘要

The development of high-performance electrode materials is a long runningtheme in the field of energy storage. Silicon is undoubtedly among the mostpromising next-generation anode material for lithium batteries. Of particularnote, the use of nano-Si, as the milestone advance, has opened the door ofthe commercialization of silicon, but is still hindered by issues related to cost,side reactions, and volumetric performance. Micro-Si, competedunsuccessfully with nano-Si long ago, but now has returned with its naturalstrengths in low cost, high tap density, and low interfacial reaction, and isregaining attention both from academia and industry. In this review, thepromises of micro-Si anodes are first clarified and then their pain points arepresented followed by a summary of the potential remedies such as carbonencapsulation, binder design, and electrolyte modifications with improvedmechanical and electrochemical stability. Finally, toward practical use ofmicro-Si in future lithium batteries, major prospective directions arediscussed. Carbon coatings with desired mechanical properties combinedwith a stable solid electrolyte are highlighted along with with their practicalsignificance to exploit micro-Si anodes.