Boron-Silicon Alloy Nanoparticles as a Promising New Material in Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes

Gregory Pach, Pashupati Adhikari, Joseph Quinn, Chongmin Wang, Avtar Singh, Ankit Verma, Andrew Colclasure, Jae Ho Kim, Glenn Teeter, Gabriel Veith, Nathan Neale, Gerard Carroll

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Silicon's potential as a lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode is hindered by the reactivity of the lithium silicide (LixSi) interface. This study introduces an innovative approach by alloying silicon with boron, creating boron/silicon (BSi) nanoparticles synthesized via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. These nanoparticles exhibit altered electronic structures as evidenced by optical, structural, and chemical analysis. Integrated into LIB anodes, BSi demonstrates outstanding cycle stability, surpassing 1000 lithiation and delithiation cycles with minimal capacity fade or impedance growth. Detailed electrochemical and microscopic characterization reveal very little SEI growth through 1000 cycles, which suggests that electrolyte degradation is virtually nonexistent. This unconventional strategy offers a promising avenue for high-performance LIB anodes with the potential for rapid scale-up, marking a significant advancement in silicon anode technology.
Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)2492-2499
Number of pages8
JournalACS Energy Letters
Volume9
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/JA-5900-89375

Keywords

  • boron
  • electrochemical cells
  • electrodes
  • materials
  • silicon

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