Silicon-based anode active material and method for manufacturing same

1. A silicon-based anode active material comprising a plurality of particles, wherein for each of the plurality of particles:

the particle comprises silicon and oxygen combined with the silicon and a carbon-based conductive layer coated on the outermost surface of the particle, wherein the particle comprises a silicon core, a silicon oxide shell on the silicon core, and the carbon-based conductive layer on the silicon oxide shell; and

boron is doped in the particle,

wherein the content of boron with respect to the total weight of the particle and the doped boron is within the range from 0.01 weight% to 20 weight%,

wherein the content of oxygen in the particle is within the range from 16 weight% to 29 weight%,

wherein the thickness of the silicon oxide shell is within the range from 3 nm to 15 nm and wherein at least a portion of the shell comprises boronated silicon oxide, and

wherein the plurality of particles comprising the silicon core and the silicon oxide shell on the silicon core has an average particle diameter within the range from 10 nm to 300 nm.

2. The silicon-based anode active material of claim 1 , wherein the content of boron with respect to the total weight of the particle and the doped boron is within the range from 5 weight% to 13 weight%.

3. The silicon-based anode active material of claim 1 , wherein the content of the carbon-based conductive layer with respect to the total weight of the particle and the doped boron is within the range from 4.5 weight% to 32 weight%.

4. The silicon-based anode active material of claim 1 , wherein boron is doped in the silicon core.

5. The silicon-based anode active material of claim 1 , wherein the content of boron is within the range from 0.01 weight% to 17 weight%.

6. A silicon-based anode active material comprising:

primary particles including boron-doped silicon cores and shells that surround the silicon cores and include boronated silicon oxide; and

a carbon-based conductive matrix having dispersed therein the primary particles,

wherein the content of boron with respect to the total weight of the particle and the doped boron is within the range from 0.01 weight% to 20 weight%,

wherein the content of oxygen is within the range from 16 weight% to 29 weight%,

wherein the primary particles have an average particle diameter within a range from 10 nm to 300 nm, and

wherein the thickness of the shells is within the range from 3 nm to 15 nm.

7. The silicon-based anode active material of claim 6 , wherein the content of boron is within the range from 0.01 weight% to 17 weight%.

8. A method of manufacturing silicon-based anode active material, the method comprising:

providing primary particles of silicon, which is a starting material;

providing a solvent including water, oxygen-containing liquid hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof to oxidize the primary particles of silicon;

forming a mixed solution by adding the primary particles of silicon to the solvent;

obtaining slurries of the primary particles of silicon from the mixed solution;

forming intermediate particles including silicon cores and silicon oxide shells surrounding the silicon cores by chemically oxidizing the surfaces of the primary particles of silicon by pulverizing or polishing the slurries;

providing a boron-containing compound, which is a boron precursor for doping boron;

forming second particles of silicon including the intermediate particles coated with the boron-containing compound; and

diffusing boron into the second particles of silicon by performing a heat treatment with respect to the second particles of silicon to form particles having an average particle diameter within a range from 10 nm to 300 nm.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising forming conductive layers on the second particles of silicon before or after the heat treatment.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the conductive layers are carbon-based conductive layers.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein forming the conductive layers comprises dispersing the second particle of silicon into a carbon-based conductive matrix.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the oxygen-containing liquid hydrocarbon comprises methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), or a mixture of two or more thereof.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the boron-containing compound comprises B(OH) 3 (boric acid) or H 3 BO 3 .

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the heat treatment is performed at a temperature within the range from 700° C. to 1,100° C.

15. A method of manufacturing a silicon-based anode active material, the method comprising:

providing primary particles of silicon, which is a starting material;

providing intermediate particles including silicon and a silicon oxide by oxidizing the primary particles of silicon;

coating boron sacrificing layers on the intermediate particles; and

diffusing boron into the intermediate particles of silicon by performing a heat treatment with respect to the intermediate particles coated with the boron sacrificing layers to form particles having an average particle diameter within a range from 10 nm to 300 nm.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising forming conductive layers on the intermediate particles of silicon before or after the heat treatment.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the conductive layers are carbon-based conductive layers.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein forming the conductive layers comprises dispersing the second particle of silicon into a carbon-based conductive matrix.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the boron sacrificing layer comprises any one or a mixture of two or more of B 4 C, B 2 O 3 , H 3 BO 3 , B 3 Si, and B 6 O.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the heat treatment is performed at a temperature within the range from 700° C. to 1,100° C.