SILICON WITH CARBON-BASED COATING FOR LITHIUM-ION BATTERY ELECTRODES
Systems and methods are provided for silicon with a carbon-based coating for lithium-ion battery electrodes. An example electrode, for use in an electrochemical cell, includes an active material that includes a plurality of silicon particles, with each silicon particle having a coating covering a surface of the particle. The coating may include a carbon based coating. A least a portion of the silicon (e.g., at least 70%) in the silicon particles is elemental silicon.
1 . An electrode for use in an electrochemical cell, the electrode comprising:
an active material comprising a plurality of silicon particles, wherein each silicon particle comprises a coating covering a surface of the particle.
2 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a carbon based coating.
3 . The electrode of claim 2 , wherein carbon used in the carbon based coating has conductivity above 10 −3 S/cm.
4 . The electrode of claim 2 , wherein carbon used in the carbon based coating comprises one or both of 0D carbon and 1D carbon.
5 . The electrode of claim 2 , wherein carbon used in the carbon based coating comprises one or more of particle based carbon, platelet based carbon, and fibrous carbon.
6 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the coating is less than 1 micron, less than 100 nanometer, or less than 10 nanometer.
7 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein each silicon particle has a diameter in the range of 3 μm to 10 μm, 3 μm to 15 μm, 1 μm to 20 μm, or 3 μm to 8 μm.
8 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein each silicon particle only comprises single continuous region of silicon.
9 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the silicon in the silicon particles is derived from quartz.
10 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the silicon in the silicon particles comprises polycrystalline Si.
11 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the silicon in the silicon particles is elemental silicon.
12 . The electrode of claim 11 , wherein the elemental silicon is at least 70% of the silicon in the silicon particles.
13 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the silicon in the silicon particles is pure silicon.
14 . The electrode of claim 12 , wherein the pure silicon is more than 75% of the silicon in the silicon particles.
15 . The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a silicon-dominant anode, and wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a lithium-ion cell.
16 . Silicon for use in an electrode in an electrochemical cell, comprising:
a plurality of silicon particles, wherein each silicon particle comprises a coating covering a surface of the particle.
17 . The silicon of claim 16 , wherein the coating comprises carbon based coating.
18 . The silicon of claim 17 , wherein carbon used in the carbon based coating has conductivity above 10 −3 S/cm.
19 . The silicon of claim 17 , wherein carbon used in the carbon based coating comprises one or more of 0D carbon and 1D carbon.
20 . The silicon of claim 17 , carbon used in the carbon based coating comprises one or more of particle based carbon, platelet based carbon, and fibrous carbon.
21 . The silicon of claim 16 , wherein a thickness of the coating is less than 1 micron, less than 100 nanometer, or less than 10 nanometer.
22 . The silicon of claim 16 , wherein each silicon particle has a diameter in the range of 3 μm to 10 μm, 3 μm to 15 μm, 1 μm to 20 μm, or 3 μm to 8 μm.
23 . The silicon of claim 16 , wherein each silicon particle only comprises single continuous region of silicon.
24 . The silicon of claim 16 , wherein at least some of the silicon in the silicon particles is derived from quartz.
25 . The silicon of claim 16 , wherein at least some of the silicon in the silicon particles comprises polycrystalline Si.
26 . The silicon of claim 16 , wherein at least some of the silicon in the silicon particles is elemental silicon.
27 . The silicon of claim 26 , wherein the elemental silicon is at least 70% of the silicon in the silicon particles.
28 . The silicon of claim 16 , wherein at least some of the silicon in the silicon particles is pure silicon.
29 . The silicon of claim 24 , wherein the pure silicon is more than 75% of the silicon in the silicon particles.