Active material for rechargeable battery, rechargeable battery, and electronic apparatus

1. A rechargeable battery comprising:

a positive electrode;

a negative electrode including active material; and

an electrolytic solution,

wherein the active material is capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions and includes Si and O as constituent elements,

wherein an atomic ratio (Si/(Si+O)) of Si with respect to Si and O is 30 atomic % to 75 atomic % in a surface of the active material,

wherein the active material includes a core portion and a coating portion provided at least at a part of a surface of the core portion,

wherein the coating portion includes one or more spaces in an inner portion of the coating portion, and

wherein a conductive material is provided in at least a part of the one or more spaces of the coating portion.

2. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein, at least in a surface vicinity portion in the active material, the atomic ratio is decreased, or constant, toward the center from the surface of the active material.

3. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein at least a surface vicinity portion in the active material is non-crystalline, or low crystalline with crystal regions (crystal grains) scattered in non-crystalline regions.

4. The rechargeable battery according to claim 3 , wherein, in a low crystalline portion of the active material, an average area occupancy rate of crystal grains due to a (111) surface and a (220) surface of Si is 35% or less and an average particle diameter of the crystal grains is 50 nm or less.

5. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1 ,

wherein an atom ratio z (O/Si) of O with respect to Si of the active material satisfies 0.5≦z≦1.8,

wherein the atomic ratio gradually decreases toward a center between a surface of the active material and a position at 300 nm toward the center from the surface, and

wherein the atomic ratio at the position at 300 nm toward the center from the surface of the active material is 35 atomic % to 60 atomic %.

6. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1 ,

wherein an atom ratio x (O/Si) of O with respect to Si of the core portion satisfies 0≦x<0.5,

wherein an atom ratio y (O/Si) of O with respect to Si of the coating portion satisfies 0.5≦y≦1.8,

wherein the atomic ratio gradually decreases toward an interface of the core portion and the coating portion from a surface of the active material, and

wherein the atomic ratio at the interface is 35 atomic % to 60 atomic %.

7. The rechargeable battery according to claim 6 ,

wherein a median diameter (D50) of the core portion is 0.1 μm to 20 μm,

wherein an average thickness of the coating portion is 1 nm to 3000 nm, and

wherein an average coating rate of the coating portion with respect to the core portion is 30% or more.

8. The rechargeable battery according to claim 6 ,

wherein a crystallinity of the coating portion is lower than a crystallinity of the core portion, and the coating portion has low crystallinity,

wherein, in an event the coating portion is bisected in the thickness direction, an average area occupancy rate and an average particle diameter in an inner portion of the crystal grains derived from a (111) surface and a (220) surface of Si are equal to or greater than an average area occupancy rate and an average particle diameter in an outer portion, and

wherein, in the coating portion, the average area occupancy rate of the crystal grains due to the (111) surface and the (220) surface of Si is 35% or less, and the average particle diameter of the crystal grains is 50 nm or less.

9. The rechargeable battery according to claim 6 ,

wherein the coating portion has multiple layers with spaces between the layers, and

wherein a conductive material including C as a constituent element is provided at at least a part in the spaces.

10. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1 ,

wherein a conductive layer is provided on at least a part of the surface of the active material,

wherein the conductive layer includes C as a constituent element,

wherein a ratio IG/ID of a G band peak intensity IG and a D band peak intensity ID of the conductive layer measured by a Raman spectrum method is 0.3 to 3.2.

11. The rechargeable battery according to claim 10 ,

wherein an average thickness of the conductive layer is 200 nm, or less, and

wherein an average coating rate of the conductive layer with respect to the active material is 30% or more.

12. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1 ,

wherein the negative electrode has an active material layer on a current collector and the active material layer includes the active material, and

wherein the current collector includes C and S as constituent elements and the content thereof is 100 ppm or less.

13. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of Si in the active material in an uncharged state is alloyed with Li.

14. An active material for a rechargeable battery, which is capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions and includes Si and O as constituent elements, and of which an atomic ratio (Si/(Si+O)) of Si with respect to Si and O is 30 atomic % to 75 atomic % in a surface, comprising:

a core portion; and

a coating portion provided at least at a part of a surface of the core portion,

wherein the coating portion includes one or more spaces in an inner portion of the coating portion, and

wherein a conductive material is provided in at least a part of the one or more spaces of the coating portion.

15. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a rechargeable battery as a power supply source,

wherein the rechargeable battery includes

a positive electrode,

a negative electrode including an active material, and

an electrolytic solution,

wherein the active material is capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions and includes Si and O as constituent elements,

wherein the atomic ratio (Si/(Si+O)) of Si with respect to Si and O is 30 atomic % to 75 atomic % in a surface,

wherein the active material includes a core portion and a coating portion provided at least at a part of a surface of the core portion,

wherein the coating portion includes one or more spaces in an inner portion of the coating portion, and

wherein a conductive material is provided in at least a part of the one or more spaces of the coating portion.