Electrode Including Nanostructures for Rechargeable Cells

Abstract

A lithium ion battery electrode includes silicon nanowires used for insertion of lithium ions and including a conductivity enhancement, the nanowires growth-rooted to the conductive substrate.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates generally to electrochemical cell components and methods of preparing such components and, more specifically, to battery electrodes containing nanowires configured to interact with electrochemically active ions and methods of preparing such electrodes and batteries including such electrodes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The demand for high capacity rechargeable batteries is extensive. Many applications, such as aerospace, medical devices, portable electronics, automotive and many others, demand high gravimetric and or volumetric capacity batteries. Development of the lithium ion technology has provided some advances in this area, but higher capacities are still very desirable. Lithium ion cells generally use anodes containing graphite powder that has theoretical capacity of only about 372 mAh / g.[0003]Silicon is an attractive insertion material for lithium and other electrochemically active ions. A theoretical capacity of s...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Yet use of silicon and many other high capacity materials for battery applications has been constrained by substantial changes in volume (swelling) of these materials during insertion of active ions.

Volume changes of this magnitude cause substantial stresses in silicon structures in the negative electrodes resulting in

Images