Silicon anodes with water-soluble maleic anhydride-, and/or maleic acid-containing polymers/copolymers, derivatives, and/or combinations (with or without additives) as binders

1. A battery electrode, the electrode comprising an electrode coating layer comprising from about 1 wt % to 95 wt % Si;

wherein said electrode coating layer further comprises a water-soluble maleic anhydride- or maleic acid-containing polymer binder; and wherein said polymer binder comprises Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride); Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid); Poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) sodium salts; Poly(styrene-co-maleic acid), partial isobutyl esters; Poly(styrene-co-maleic acid), partial isobutyl/methyl mixed esters; Poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride), partial methyl esters; Poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride); Poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene); Poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride); Polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride; Polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride; Polyisoprene-graft-maleic anhydride; or Polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene-graft-maleic anhydride; and

wherein said polymer binder further comprises a functional compound additive, wherein said functional compound additive comprises cyclodextrin-based compounds or tannic acid.

2. The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said polymer binder comprises a lithium salt of a maleic anhydride- or maleic acid-containing polymer.

3. The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein said polymer binder further comprises a conductive additive, wherein said conductive additive comprises Super P carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon nanofibers, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, porous carbons and/or other types of zero-, one-, two-, or three-dimensional carbon materials.

4. The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode coating layer comprises more than 70% silicon.

5. The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein the battery electrode is in a lithium ion battery.

6. The electrode according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode coating layer is pyrolyzed.

7. A method of forming a battery electrode, the method comprising:

creating an electrode coating layer from an electrode slurry comprising an aqueous solution of a maleic anhydride- or maleic acid-containing polymer binder and about 1 wt % to 95 wt % Si powder, with optional additives;

fabricating a battery electrode by coating the slurry on a current collector; and

pyrolyzing said electrode coating layer; wherein said polymer binder comprises Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride); Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid); Poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) sodium salts; Poly(styrene-co-maleic acid), partial isobutyl esters; Poly(styrene-co-maleic acid), partial isobutyl/methyl mixed esters; Poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride), partial methyl esters; Poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride); Poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene); Poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride); Polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride; Polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride; Polyisoprene-graft-maleic anhydride; or Polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene-graft-maleic anhydride; and

wherein said polymer binder further comprises a functional compound additive, wherein said functional compound additive comprises cyclodextrin-based compounds or tannic acid.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said polymer binder comprises a lithium salt of a maleic anhydride- or maleic acid-containing polymer.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said polymer binder further comprises a conductive additive, wherein said conductive additive comprises Super P carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon nanofibers, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, porous carbons and/or other types of zero-, one-, two-, or three-dimensional carbon materials.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the electrode coating layer comprises more than 70% silicon.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the battery electrode is in a lithium ion battery.