Nanosized silicon has attracted considerable
attentions as a new-generation
anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its exceptional
theoretical capacity and reasonable cyclic stability. However, serious
side reactions often take place at the nanosized silicon/electrolyte
interface in LIBs, where critical electrochemical properties such
as initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) are compromised. On the basis
of this feature, a new method is developed to synthesize nanosilicon-based
particles in a facile, scalable way, which are endowed with the function
of prelithiation and storage stability in air. A semisolid lithium
rechargeable flow battery (SSFB) technology is used for the first
time to convert the micrometer-sized silicon raw material into an
amorphous-nanosilicon-based material (ANSBM), as a result of the pulverization
process induced by the repeated lithiation/delithiation cycles. The
particle size is successfully reduced from 1–4 μm to
around 30 nm after cycles in the flow battery. Bulk functionalization
of the nano silicon is introduced by the unbalanced lithiation/delithiation
cyclic process, which endows ANSBM with a unique prelithiation capability
universally applicable to different anode systems such as nanosized
Si, SiO
x
, and graphite, as evidenced by
the significantly improved ICEs. Superior air stability (10% relative
humidity) is exhibited by ANSBM due to surface functionalization by
the stable interfacial layer encapsulated by electron-conductive carbon.
The outcome of this work provides a promising way to synthesize dual-functionalized
nano silicon with good electrochemical performance in terms of improved
capacity and increased initial Coulombic efficiency when it is composited
with other typical anode materials.
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