Synthesis and electrochemical performance of silicon-nanowire alloy anodes

Edna Mados, Nimrod Harpak, George Levi, Fernando Patolsky, Emanuel Peled, Diana Golodnitsky*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

High-capacity materials are required in order to address the environmental concerns of our modern society, ultimately leading to safe and eco-friendly high-energy batteries. Silicon-nanowire anodes (SiNWs) have the potential to significantly increase the energy density of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In order to improve the mechanical durability and the electrochemical performance of SiNW-anodes, we fabricated a silicon-nickel (SiNi) composite anode by electroless deposition of nickel, followed by annealing at high temperature to obtain nickel silicides of different content and composition. The morphology of SiNi-alloy anodes was examined by SEM,in situTEM and EDS methods in order to understand how different deposition protocols affect the coating of the silicon nanowires. The formation of Ni-silicides was found to occur during thermal treatment at 900 °C. Despite the incomplete shell coverage of SiNWs composed of multiple phases and grains, the electrochemical performance of binder-free and conducting-additive-free SiNi-alloy anodes showed stable electrochemical behavior and higher capacity retention compared to the pristine SiNW anode. Li/SiNW-SiNixcells ran at C/2 rate for 200 reversible cycles, exhibiting 0.1%/cycle capacity loss after completion of the SEI formation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)26586-26593
Number of pages8
JournalRSC Advances
Volume11
Issue number43
DOIs
StatePublished - 26 Jul 2021

Funding

FundersFunder number
Council of High Education
Prime Minister Office of ISRAEL

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Synthesis and electrochemical performance of silicon-nanowire alloy anodes'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this