Battery Anodes

About

Summary This technology is a novel composite material that can serve as an anode within a lithium-ion battery, and which demonstrates a much higher capacity for charge than other known materials. Background Lithium-ion batteries are popular in consumer electronics and are common in devices which need to be periodically charged, such as cell phones and laptops. Crystalline silicon (cSi) is appealing as an anode for a Li-ion battery due to its theoretical charge capacity of 4200 mAh/g, however it undergoes volumetric changes during charging which crack and destroy typical anode structures. By distributing Si nanoparticles over a network of TiSi2 nanowires, this technology provides a cSi anode which accommodates volumetric changes without self-destructing. The cSi holds Li ions (i.e., as Li14Si5) when charged, while the TiSi2 conducts current into or out of the electrode. Features and Benefits / Advantages:  Constructed from abundant and inexpensive materials, and can be manufactured with familiar carbon vapor deposition techniques.  Sample anodes were fabricated in the lab and found to retain a 1000 mAh/g capacity within 99% after 100 cycles. Provides rechargeable batteries with a potentially significantly longer life than existing technologies. Has potential to supply high current or high voltage batteries.  Material does not cause its own disintegration during charge-related volumetric changes, as known cSi anodes do.