SJTU Team Made Headway in High-Capacity Silicon Electrodes for Li-Ion Batteries

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Lately, the research team of Professor Yang Jun, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, published a paper named Silicon Microparticle Anodes with Self-Healing Multiple Network Binder in the Joule, a new journal in the energy field which is affiliated with Cell Press.

In the paper, a polymer binder, PAA-P(HEA-co-DMA), is designed and synthesized. Its multiple network structure formed with rigid-soft chains and bonds, and special self-healing capability in the electrode, can mitigate the disintegration of particle and the lack of electron conductance caused by the volume change of SiMPs in the charge-discharge process. Thus, the performance of Silicon electrodes is remarkably improved.

A water-soluble polymer binder, is designed and synthesized based on the structure of binder. The complex has self-healing capability and excellent tensile property. It can buffer the strain caused by the volume change of SiMPs and hinder the pulverization of Silicon particles during cycling. Thus, the electrochemical performance of Si electrodes is remarkably improved. Its specific capacity is approximately 1850 mAh/g under the high-current of 5A/g and boasts exceptional electrochemical reversibility.

Moreover, the binder can also be applied to micron SiO₂ negative electrode and can cycle reversibly under the high areal capacities of 9 mAh/cm2. This study is of great significance for the development of high-capacity electrodes with a strong volume effect.