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 a pyrolyzed electrode coating layer comprising from about 80 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(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(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene); Polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride; or Polyisoprene-graft-maleic anhydride;

and where the pyrolysis is carried out by heating to 500-800° C.; and

wherein said polymer binder further comprises a functional compound additive, wherein said functional compound additive comprises Putrescine, Spermidine, Spermine, Thermospermine, Polyethylenimine, Poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether, Trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether, Tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane triglycidyl ether, Tris(2,3-epoxypropyl) isocyanurate, Poly[(o-cresyl glycidyl ether)-co-formaldehyde], Trimethylolpropane tris(3-mercaptopropionate), Pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate), 2,2′-(Ethylenedioxy)diethanethiol, 1,2-Ethanedithiol, or 1,4-Butanedithiol.

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 said polymer binder further comprises a functional compound additive, wherein said functional compound additive comprises Poly(acrylic acid), Poly(vinyl alcohol), Lignin, styrene-butadiene rubber, Gelatin, Carboxymethyl cellulose, Chitosan, Alginate, Pectin, Amylose, Starch, Xanthan gum, Arabic gum, Gelan gum, Karaya gum, and/or Guar gum.

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

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

creating a pyrolyzed electrode coating layer from an electrode slurry comprising an aqueous solution of a maleic anhydride- or maleic acid-containing polymer binder and about 80 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 by heating to 500-800° C.;

wherein said polymer binder comprises 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(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene); Polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride; or Polyisoprene-graft-maleic anhydride; and

wherein said polymer binder further comprises a functional compound additive, wherein said functional compound additive comprises Putrescine, Spermidine, Spermine, Thermospermine, Polyethylenimine, Poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether, Trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether, Tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane triglycidyl ether, Tris(2,3-epoxypropyl) isocyanurate, Poly[(o-cresyl glycidyl ether)-co-formaldehyde], Trimethylolpropane tris(3-mercaptopropionate), Pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate), 2,2′-(Ethylenedioxy)diethanethiol, 1,2-Ethanedithiol, or 1,4-Butanedithiol.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein said polymer binder comprises a lithium salt of a maleic anhydride- or maleic acid-containing polymer.

8. The method according to claim 6 , 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-, three-dimensional carbon materials.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein said polymer binder further comprises a functional compound additive, wherein said functional compound additive comprises Poly(acrylic acid), Poly(vinyl alcohol), Lignin, styrene-butadiene rubber, Gelatin, Carboxymethyl cellulose, Chitosan, Alginate, Pectin, Amylose, Starch, Xanthan gum, Arabic gum, Gelan gum, Karaya gum, and/or Guar gum.

10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the battery electrode is in a lithium ion battery.