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Low-Cost Carbon-Silicon Nanocomposite Anodes For Lithium Ion Batteries, Nacer Badi, Abhinay Reddy Erra, Francisco C. Robles-Hernandez, Anderson O. Okonkwo, Mkhitar Hobosyan, Karen S. Martirosyan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

The specific energy of the existing lithium ion battery cells is limited because intercalation electrodes made of activated carbon (AC) materials have limited lithium ion storage capacities. Carbon nanotubes, graphene, and carbon nanofibers are the most sought alternatives to replace AC materials but their synthesis cost makes them highly prohibitive. Silicon has recently emerged as a strong candidate to replace existing graphite anodes due to its inherently large specific capacity and low working potential. However, pure silicon electrodes have shown poor mechanical integrity due to the dramatic expansion of the material during battery operation. This results in high irreversible capacity …