From scaled-up production of silicon-graphene nanocomposite to the realization of an ultra-stable full-cell Li-ion battery
Sara Abouali, Mohammad Akbari Garakani, Laura Silvestri, Eleonora Venezia, Luigi Marasco, Rosaria Brescia, Alberto Ansaldo, Michele Serri, Jaya Kumar Panda, Giammarino Pugliese, Elisa Mantero, Francesco Bonaccorso, Vittorio Pellegrini
Abstract
Abstract The realization of a high-performance Li-ion full-cell with an anode prominently based on silicon, which can surpass the energy densities of commercial graphite-based Li-ion batteries and cyclability compatible for industrial applications, is still a challenge. Here, we report a Li-ion full-cell that combines a silicon/graphene/carbon (Si/G/C) nanocomposite anodic material, with a commercial LiNi 0.33 Mn 0.33 Co 0.33 O 2 (NMC 111 ) cathode. Using a pre-lithiation technique, the proposed Li-ion full-cell exhibits an energy density of ∼400 Wh kg −1 at the electrode material level, with a capacity >1.6 mAh cm −2 and a capacity retention exceeding 90% after 300 cycles at C/2. These performances have been achieved by properly designing the anode material composed by Si nanoparticles wrapped by few-layer graphene flakes. An additional carbon coating is used to further improve the electron conductivity and mechanical integrity of the anodic structure upon charge/discharge cycles. The remarkable performance of the full-cell considering the scalability of the Si-based anode synthesis is a step forward towards the commercialization of high-capacity and high-energy density Li-ion batteries.