10084349SiBAn - Dry silicon based lithium battery anode structureClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UK"Global energy demand is anticipated to increase by 60% over the next three decades" (van Ruijven, B.J., De Cian, E. & Sue Wing, I. Amplification of future energy demand growth due to climate change. Nature Communications 10, 2762 \[2019\]). Fossil fuels can no longer accommodate the demand nor are they sustainable for our environment. The response to this demand is electrification via renewable energy sources and through battery power. As renewable energy sources are somewhat unpredictable, an advancement in energy storage to create a more resilient grid is the only practical way to harness these resources to match the future demand for electric power. The world is moving toward an all-electric automotive industry and a greater proliferation of electronics. However, this electric transition requires better batteries in order to meet market expectations and to accelerate this proliferation. The perfect storm of energy demand is upon us, requiring immediate energy storage advances so everything that can be powered by batteries is powered by rechargeable batteries. Lithium ion-based batteries dominate the market and a long-standing goal for anode innovation with lithium batteries has been to use silicon as an active material on the lithium anode, creating a lithium-silicon battery. Lithium batteries towards 100% silicon anodes have the potential to hold higher amounts of lithium ions due to silicon's 10x higher capacity than graphite. This quickly translates in cost parity for EVs and creates smaller, better lithium batteries for all electronics and energy storage. The development of a low cost silicon-based replacement for graphite will boost lithium's performance and energy density within the battery. The basic reason for these performance improvements is that silicon can hold many more lithium atoms than graphite. One silicon atom absorbs four lithium atoms, whereas six atoms of graphite can only accommodate one lithium atom. Thus, silicon can hold 10x more lithium by weight than graphite. This allows for a much thinner anode in the cell, opening up more space for more cathode material (more lithium). It is the cathode that brings this initial lithium into the battery and so the more Lithium cathode material - the higher the energy density. Replacing the lower capacity graphite anode with a high capacity silicon anode can deliver a boost to energy provision in the future.