Generation of wrinkle-free silicon monoxide electrodes using separate preformation and formation

1. A method, comprising:

forming a solid electrolyte interface on a silicon monoxide electrode in a battery cell; and

after the solid electrolyte interface is formed on the silicon monoxide electrode, charging the battery cell for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, including by:

applying a first charging current to the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed, wherein the first charging current is applied over a first amount of time and up to a first voltage;

in response to the battery cell reaching the first voltage, discharging the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed;

after the first charging current has been applied and the battery cell has been discharged, applying a second charging current to the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed, wherein: the second charging current is applied over a second amount of time and up to a second voltage, the first amount of time is greater than the second amount of time, and the first voltage is less than or equal to the second voltage; and

in response to the battery cell reaching the second voltage, discharging the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed.

2. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein forming the solid electrolyte interface includes:

forming a partial solid electrolyte interface, including by applying a third charging current to the battery cell while the battery cell is uncompressed; and

forming the solid electrolyte interface from the partial solid electrolyte interface, including by applying a fourth charging current to the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed.

3. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising:

after the solid electrolyte interface is formed on the silicon monoxide electrode and before the first and the second charging currents are applied and the battery cell is discharged in response to the battery cell reaching the first and the second voltage, compressing the battery cell at room temperature; and

after the first and the second charging currents are applied and the battery cell is discharged in response to the battery cell reaching the first and the second voltage, compress the battery cell while the battery cell is heated.

4. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein forming the solid electrolyte interface includes:

forming a partial solid electrolyte interface, including by applying a third charging current to the battery cell while the battery cell is uncompressed, wherein the third charging current is applied over a third amount of time and up to a third voltage; and

forming the solid electrolyte interface from the partial solid electrolyte interface, including by applying a fourth charging current to the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed, wherein: the fourth charging current is applied over a fourth amount of time and up to a fourth voltage, the third amount of time is greater than the fourth amount of time, and the third voltage is less than the fourth voltage.

5. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein:

forming the solid electrolyte interface includes:

forming a partial solid electrolyte interface, including by applying a third charging current to the battery cell while the battery cell is uncompressed; and

forming the solid electrolyte interface from the partial solid electrolyte interface, including by applying a fourth charging current to the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed; and

the method further includes:

after the solid electrolyte interface is formed on the silicon monoxide electrode and before the first and the second charging currents are applied and the battery cell is discharged in response to the battery cell reaching the first and the second voltage, compressing the battery cell at room temperature; and

after the first and the second charging currents are applied and the battery cell is discharged in response to the battery cell reaching the first and the second voltage, compress the battery cell while the battery cell is heated.

6. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

forming a solid electrolyte interface on a silicon monoxide electrode in a battery cell; and

after the solid electrolyte interface is formed on the silicon monoxide electrode, charging the battery cell for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed, including by:

applying a first charging current to the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed, wherein the first charging current is applied over a first amount of time and up to a first voltage;

in response to the battery cell reaching the first voltage, discharging the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed;

after the first charging current has been applied and the battery cell has been discharged, applying a second charging current to the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed, wherein: the second charging current is applied over a second amount of time and up to a second voltage, the first amount of time is greater than the second amount of time, and the first voltage is less than or equal to the second voltage; and

in response to the battery cell reaching the second voltage, discharging the battery cell while the battery cell is compressed.