METHODS OF FORMING CARBON-SILICON COMPOSITE MATERIAL ON A CURRENT COLLECTOR
Methods of forming electrodes are described. In some embodiments, the method can include providing a current collector. The method can also include providing a mixture on the current collector. The mixture can include a precursor and silicon particles. The method can further include pyrolysing the mixture on the current collector to convert the precursor into one or more types of carbon phases to form a composite material and to adhere the composite material to the current collector. The one or more types of carbon phases can be a substantially continuous phase with the silicon particles distributed throughout the composite material.
1 . A method of forming an electrode, the method comprising:
providing a current collector;
providing a mixture on the current collector, the mixture comprising a precursor and silicon particles; and
pyrolysing the mixture on the current collector to convert the precursor into one or more types of carbon phases to form a composite material comprising the one or more types of carbon phases as a substantially continuous phase with the silicon particles distributed throughout the composite material, and to adhere the composite material to the current collector.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the current collector comprises providing a current collector comprising stainless steel.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein providing the current collector comprises providing a stainless steel foil.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein providing the current collector comprises providing a clad foil comprising stainless steel on at least one side of the clad foil.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein providing the mixture on the current collector comprises providing the mixture on the at least one side of the clad foil comprising the stainless steel.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the current collector comprises providing a current collector comprising tungsten.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein providing the current collector comprises providing a tungsten foil.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein providing the current collector comprises providing a clad foil comprising tungsten on at least one side of the clad foil.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein providing the mixture on the current collector comprises providing the mixture on the at least one side of the clad foil comprising the tungsten.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the current collector comprises providing the current collector coated with a polymer on at least one side of the current collector.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein providing the mixture comprises providing the mixture on the at least one side of the current collector comprising the polymer.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the polymer and the precursor are the same material.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the precursor comprises polyamideimide, polyamic acid, polyimide, phenolic resin, or epoxy resin.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the current collector comprises providing the current collector coated with a carbon film on at least one side of the current collector.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein providing the current collector coated with the carbon film comprises providing a carbon precursor on the at least one side of the current collector, and pyrolysing the carbon precursor to form the carbon film.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the carbon precursor comprises polyamideimide, polyamic acid, polyimide, phenolic resin, or epoxy resin.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein providing the mixture comprises providing the mixture on the at least one side of the current collector comprising the carbon film.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the mixture comprises providing a slurry comprising the precursor and silicon particles.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the mixture comprises slot die coating the mixture on the current collector.
20 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising drying the mixture prior to pyrolysing the mixture.
21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the mixture comprises providing the silicon particles such that the composite material comprises the silicon particles at about 70% to about 90% by weight.
22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the mixture further comprises providing conductive particles in the mixture.
23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the mixture comprises providing graphite in the mixture.
24 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is an anode.
25 . A battery electrode formed by the method of claim 1 .