Silicate-modified silicon for advanced lithium-ion battery anode materials

Silicon anodes hold substantial potential as alternatives to graphite in the application of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Regrettably, pure silicon lacks sufficient structural and electrochemical stability. In this study, silicon, decorated with artificial solid electrolyte (ASE) layer, was successfully synthesized by employing inexpensive micron-sized silicon powder, H2O2, and CH3COOLi<middle dot>2H2O, followed by low-temperature sintering. The synthesis process is both environmentally benign and safe. The ASE layer acts as a robust protective coating, effectively restricting the lithiation degree and volume variation during cycling, ultimately boosting electrochemical performance. At 0.5 A g-1, 80.0% of the capacity was retained over 200 cycles, and a specific capacity of 774 mAh g-1 was achieved at 5.0 A g-1. The ASE-decorated silicon shows potential as advanced anode materials for LIBs, especially for mass production applications.