NANO.IL.

Fabrication and Operando Monitoring of Silicon-based Nanocomposites for High Energy Density Li-ion Anodes

Yana Miroshnikov Department of Chemistry and Bar Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

Silicon (Si) has emerged as a potential candidate for the future anode material for Li-ion batteries, due its natural abundance and high theoretical capacity of 3579 mAh/g. However, Si anodes suffer from large volume expansion upon lithiation, which results in electrode fracture.

One of the routes toward overcoming these issues is Si-based nanostructured composites.1,2 Specifically, the incorporation of metallic nanoparticles (Ag, Au) or carbonaceous materials (rGO) on to the Si surface may improve its conductivity and relieve the stress induced by the volume expansion, thus keeping the structural integrity of the electrode.

Moreover, by nanostructuring the Si anode material with a layer of transition metal such as Mn to yield an intimate mixing between the two phases at the nanoscale, the electrochemical behavior of this anode may be followed.

Furthermore, to better understand the mechanisms of the Silicon anode evolution upon lithium insertion, real time measurements are required. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a technique that enhances Raman scattering by molecules adsorbed on rough metal surfaces , allowing the detection of a single molecule. Noble metals ,Ag and Au, allow the SERS effect to take place.

Here in we present Si nanostructures incorporated with noble metals (Ag, Au) manganese oxide or carbonaceous materials (rGO). We have found that the presence of these additives elevates the battery performance in terms of capacity, cycle life, electrode and SEI structural integrity.

Moreover, the incorporation of Ag and Au grants silicon with optical properties and enables the monitoring of the processes in Si-based battery trough operando surface enhanced Raman measurements.3,4

1. Y. Miroshnikov, G. Grinbom, G. Gershinsky, G. D. Nessim and D. Zitoun, Faraday Discuss. 2014, 173, 391–402.

2. G. Grinbom, D. Duveau, G. Gershinsky, L. Monconduit and D. Zitoun, Chem. Mater. 2015, 27, 2703–2710.

3. Y. Miroshnikov, J. Yang, V. Shokhen, M. Alesker, G. Gershinsky, A. Kraytsberg, Y. Ein-Eli and D. Zitoun, ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 2018, 1, 1096–1105.

4. Y. Miroshnikov and D. Zitoun, J. Nanoparticle Res.DOI:10.1007/s11051-017-4063-8









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