Silicon-containing negative electrodes, electrochemical cells, and methods of making the same

1. A negative electrode comprising:

a first electroactive material comprising silicon-containing particles having an average particle diameter of at least about 1 micrometer;

an electrically conductive material comprising graphene nanoplatelets, wherein the graphene nanoplatelets have an average particle diameter of about 1 micrometer to about 25 micrometers; and

a polymeric binder comprising a polyimide, a polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyacrylic acid, a salt of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, or a combination thereof.

2. The negative electrode of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing particles have an average particle diameter of about 1 micrometers to about 15 micrometers; and wherein the graphene nanoplatelets have: a thickness of less than or equal to about 100 nm.

3. The negative electrode of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing particles comprise silicon, carbon coated silicon, a silicon oxide, a lithium silicon alloy, a silicon tin alloy, a silicon iron alloy, a silicon aluminum alloy, a silicon cobalt alloy, or a combination thereof.

4. The negative electrode of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material further comprises carbon black, acetylene black, graphite, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers, carbon nanofibers, graphene, graphene oxide, nitrogen-doped carbon, a metallic powder, a liquid metal, a conductive polymer, or a combination thereof.

5. The negative electrode of claim 1 , wherein:

(i) the first electroactive material is present in the negative electrode in an amount of about 60 wt % to about 95 wt %, based on total weight of the negative electrode;

(ii) the electrically conductive material is present in the negative electrode in an amount of about 2 wt % to about 20 wt %, based on total weight of the negative electrode; and

(iii) the polymeric binder is present in the negative electrode in an amount of about 3 wt % to about 20 wt %, based on total weight of the negative electrode.

6. An electrochemical cell comprising:

a negative electrode comprising:

a first electroactive material comprising silicon-containing particles having an average particle diameter of greater than or equal to about 1 μm;

an electrically conductive material comprising graphene nanoplatelets, wherein the graphene nanoplatelets have an average particle diameter of about 1 micrometer to about 25 micrometers; and

a polymeric binder comprising a polyimide, a polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyacrylic acid, a salt of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, or a combination thereof;

a positive electrode comprising a second electroactive material, wherein the positive electrode is spaced apart from the negative electrode;

a porous separator disposed between confronting surfaces of the negative electrode and the positive electrode; and

a liquid electrolyte infiltrating the negative electrode, the positive electrode, and the porous separator.

7. The electrochemical cell of claim 6 , wherein the silicon-containing particles have an average particle diameter of about 1 micrometer to about 15 micrometers; and wherein the graphene nanoplatelets have a thickness of less than or equal to about 100 nm.

8. The electrochemical cell of claim 6 , wherein the silicon-containing particles comprise silicon, carbon coated silicon, a silicon oxide, a lithium silicon alloy, a silicon tin alloy, a silicon iron alloy, a silicon aluminum alloy, a silicon cobalt alloy, or a combination thereof.

9. The electrochemical cell of claim 6 , wherein the electrically conductive material further comprises carbon black, acetylene black, graphite, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers, carbon nanofibers, graphene, graphene oxide, nitrogen-doped carbon, a metallic powder, a liquid metal, a conductive polymer, or a combination thereof.

10. The electrochemical cell of claim 6 , wherein:

(i) the first electroactive material is present in the negative electrode in an amount of about 60 wt % to about 95 wt %, based on total weight of the negative electrode;

(ii) the electrically conductive material is present in the negative electrode in an amount of about 2 wt % to about 20 wt %, based on total weight of the negative electrode; and

(iii) the polymeric binder is present in the negative electrode in an amount of about 3 wt % to about 20 wt %, based on total weight of the negative electrode.

11. The electrochemical cell of claim 6 , wherein the second electroactive material is selected from the group consisting of Li (1+x) Mn 2 O 4 , where 0.1≤x≤1; LiMn (2−x) Ni x O 4 , where 0≤x≤0.5; LiCoO 2 ; Li(Ni x Mn y Co z )O 2 , where 0≤x≤1, 0<y≤1, 0≤z≤1, and x+y+z=1; LiNi (1−x−y) Co x M y O 2 , where 0<x<0.2, y<0.2, and M is Al, Mg, or Ti; LiFePO 4 , LiMn 2−x Fe x PO 4 , where 0<x<0.3; LiNiCoAlO 2 ; LiMPO 4 , where M is at least one of Fe, Ni, Co, and Mn; Li(Ni x Mn y Co z Al p )O 2 , where 0≤x≤1, 0≤y≤1, 0≤z≤1, 0≤P≤1, x+y+z+p=1 (NCMA); LiNiMnCoO 2 ; Li 2 FePO 4 F; LiMn 2 O 4 ; LiFeSiO 4 ; LiNi 0.6 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 O 2 (NMC622), LiMnO 2 (LMO), activated carbon, sulfur, and a combination thereof.

12. The electrochemical cell of claim 6 , wherein the electrochemical cell has a negative electrode capacity for lithium to positive electrode capacity for lithium (N/P) ratio of about 1 to about 3.

13. A method of preparing a negative electrode, wherein the method comprises:

admixing a first electroactive material comprising silicon-containing particles having an average particle diameter of greater than or equal to about 1 micrometer with an electrically conductive material comprising graphene nanoplatelets having an average particle diameter of about 1 micrometers to about 25 micrometers, a polymeric binder comprising a polyimide, a polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyacrylic acid, a salt of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, or a combination thereof, and a non-aqueous solvent to form a slurry;

applying the slurry to a current collector and volatilizing the slurry to form the negative electrode; and

a first heat treatment of the negative electrode comprising heating the negative electrode at a first temperature of less than or equal to about 400° C.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

(i) the electrically conductive material is admixed with the non-aqueous solvent to form a first mixture, the first mixture is admixed with the first electroactive material to form a second mixture, and the second mixture is admixed with polymeric binder to form the slurry; or

(ii) the polymeric binder is admixed with the non-aqueous solvent to form a first mixture, the electrically conductive material is admixed with the non-aqueous solvent to form a second mixture, the second mixture is admixed with the first electroactive material to form a third mixture, and the first mixture is admixed with third mixture to form the slurry; or

(iii) the polymeric binder is admixed with the non-aqueous solvent and the first electroactive material to form a first mixture, the electrically conductive material is admixed with the non-aqueous solvent and the polymeric binder to form a second mixture, and the first mixture is admixed with the second mixture to form the slurry.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the silicon-containing particles have an average particle diameter of about 1 micrometer to about 15 micrometers; and wherein the graphene nanoplatelets have a thickness of less than or equal to about 100 nm.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the silicon-containing particles comprise silicon, carbon coated silicon, a silicon oxide, a lithium silicon alloy, a silicon tin alloy, a silicon iron alloy, a silicon aluminum alloy, a silicon cobalt alloy, or a combination thereof; and wherein the non-aqueous solvent is selected from the group consisting of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethyl sulfoxide, propylene carbonate, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, and a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the electrically conductive material further comprises carbon black, acetylene black, graphite, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers, carbon nanofibers, graphene, graphene oxide, nitrogen-doped carbon, a metallic powder, a liquid metal, a conductive polymer, or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the slurry comprises:

(i) about 60 wt % to about 95 wt % of the first electroactive material, based on total weight of the slurry;

(ii) about 2 wt % to about 20 wt % of the first electroactive material, based on total weight of the slurry; and

(iii) about 3 wt % to about 20 wt % of the polymeric binder, based on total weight of the slurry.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising a second heat treatment of the negative electrode comprising heating the negative electrode at a second temperature of greater than or equal to about 400° C.

20. The negative electrode of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric binder is present as a matrix and the electroactive material and the electrically conductive material are dispersed within the matrix.