Chemical characterisation of Silicon anode swelling during Lithium ion battery cycling

The range of an electric vehicle is ultimately determined by the energy density of the battery. From the perspective of anode material development, energy density is a function of the ability to store lithium. Silicon has a much larger capacity (3600 mAh/g) compared to conventional graphite (360 mAh/g), however, Si-based anodes currently fall short in industrial acceptance due to severe volume expansion (as high as 300%) and corresponding chemical changes occurring during Li-ion insertion and extraction causing sudden capacity drop.

Changes in the chemical state of Silicon anodes such as changes in oxidation, carbide formation, changes in solid electrolyte interface, etc, are important in understanding the long-term effects of these advanced anode materials on battery cell performance. Therefore, Talga aims to use the A4I program to work with National Physical Laboratory (NPL) scientists and their state-of-the-art facilities to gain a deeper understanding of the chemical changes that occur in silicon anode-based batteries and use the information in gaining wider acceptance and commercialisation of it's product.