Silicon clathrate anodes for lithium-ion batteries
The present disclosure is directed at an electrode and methods for forming such electrode for a battery wherein the electrode comprises silicon clathrate. The silicon clathrate may include silicon clathrate Si 46 containing an arrangement of 20-atom and 24-atom cages fused together through 5 atom pentagonal rings and/or silicon clathrate Si 34 containing an arrangement of 20-atom and 28-atom cages fused together through 5 atom pentagonal rings. The silicon clathrate may be present as particles having a largest linear dimension in the range of 0.1 μm to 100.0 μm.
1. An electrode for a battery wherein said electrode comprises silicon clathrate Si 46 or Si 34 having a volume expansion of less than or equal to 12.0% upon lithiation of said silicon clathrate.
2. The electrode of claim 1 wherein said silicon clathrate comprises silicon clathrate Si 46 containing an arrangement of 20-atom and 24-atom cages fused together through 5 atom pentagonal rings.
3. The electrode of claim 1 wherein said silicon clathrate comprises silicon clathrate Si 34 containing an arrangement of 20-atom and 28-atom cages fused together through 5 atom pentagonal rings.
4. The electrode of claim 1 wherein said silicon clathrate comprises particles having a largest linear dimension in the range of 0.1 μm to 100.0 μm.
5. The electrode of claim 1 wherein said silicon clathrate comprises particles having a spherical geometry having a largest linear dimension of 0.1 μm to 100.0 μm.
6. The electrode of claim 1 wherein said electrode comprises a metal substrate and said silicon clathrate is present on the surface of said metal substrate.
7. The electrode of claim 6 wherein said silicon clathrate is present on said surface of said metal substrate at a thickness of 0.1 μm to 50.0 μm.
8. The electrode of claim 1 wherein said silicon clathrate is combined with a polymeric binder wherein said silicon clathrate is present in said binder at a level of 50.0-95.0% by weight.
9. The electrode of claim 1 including an electrically conductive additive.
10. The electrode of claim 1 wherein said electrode comprises an anode electrode in a Li battery.
11. The electrode of claim 1 wherein said electrode comprises an anode electrode in a Li-ion battery.
12. A lithium-ion battery comprising an anode containing silicon clathrate Si 46 or Si 34 , a cathode and an electrolyte wherein the anode has a volume expansion of less than or equal to 12.0% upon lithiation of said silicon clathrate.
13. The lithium-ion battery of claim 12 wherein said silicon clathrate comprises silicon clathrate Si 46 containing an arrangement of 20-atom and 24-atom cages fused together through 5 atom pentagonal rings.
14. The lithium-ion battery of claim 12 wherein said silicon clathrate comprises silicon clathrate Si 34 containing an arrangement of 20-atom and 28-atom cages fused together through 5 atom pentagonal rings.
15. The lithium-ion battery of claim 12 wherein said silicon clathrate comprises particles having a largest linear dimension in the range of 0.1 μm to 100.0 μm.
16. The lithium-ion battery of claim 12 wherein said silicon clathrate comprises particles having a spherical geometry having a largest linear dimension of 0.1 μm to 100.0 μm.
17. The lithium-ion battery of claim 12 wherein said anode comprises a metal substrate and said silicon clathrate is present on the surface of said metal substrate.
18. The lithium-ion battery of claim 17 wherein said silicon clathrate is present on said surface of said metal substrate at a thickness of 0.1 μm to 50.0 μm.
19. An electrode for a battery wherein said electrode comprises silicon clathrate Si 46 containing an arrangement of 20-atom and 24-atom cages fused together through 5 atom pentagonal rings and wherein said silicon clathrate comprises particles having a largest linear dimension in the range of 0.1 μm to 100.0 μm and a volume expansion of less than or equal to 12.0% upon lithiation of said silicon clathrate.
20. The electrode of claim 19 wherein said silicon clathrate comprises particles having a spherical geometry.
21. The electrode of claim 19 wherein said electrode comprises a metal substrate and said silicon clathrate is present on the surface of said metal substrate.
22. A method of forming an electrode comprising combining silicon clathrate Si 46 or Si 34 in a polymeric binder and forming an electrode wherein said silicon clathrate is present in said binder at a level of 50.0-95.0% by weight and wherein said silicon clathrate is present as particles having a largest linear dimension in the range of 0.1 μm to 100.0 μm and a volume expansion of less than or equal to 12.0% upon lithiation of said silicon clathrate.