Anode structure could enhance lithium-ion batteries

The simple, low-cost fabrication technique - developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Wisconsin-Madison University and Superior Graphite - was designed to be easily scaled up and compatible with existing battery manufacturing.

‘The development of a novel approach to producing hierarchical anode or cathode particles with controlled properties opens the door to many new directions for lithium-ion battery technology,’ said Gleb Yushin, an assistant professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. ‘This is a significant step towards the commercial production of silicon-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.’

Lithium-ion batteries transfer lithium ions between the cathode and an anode via a liquid electrolyte. The more efficiently the lithium ions can enter the two electrodes during charge and discharge cycles, the larger the battery’s capacity will be.

Existing lithium-ion batteries are said to rely on anodes made from graphite. Silicon-based anodes theoretically offer as much as a 10-fold capacity improvement over graphite, but silicon-based anodes have so far not been stable enough for practical use.