A new type of anode material (potentially replacing conventional graphite anodes) has been developed by researchers at UNIST. The new anode design could “hold the key to greatly improving the performance of commercial lithium-ion batteries” through weight reduction and increased lifespan, according to those involved in the work.
A press release from UNIST provides more info: “In the study, the research team has demonstrated the feasibility of a next-generation hybrid anode using silicon-nanolayer-embedded graphite/carbon. They report that this architecture allows compatibility between silicon and natural graphite and addresses the issues of severe side reactions caused by structural failure of crumbled graphite dust and uncombined residue of silicon particles by conventional mechanical milling.”
Continuing: “This newly-developed anode material has been manufactured with increase in graphite content in composite by 45%. The research team has also developed new equipment, which is capable of producing 300 kg in 6 hours per batch using a small amount of silane gas (SiH4). Such simple procedure is highly esteemed, as it ensures competitive price. They report that the silicon/graphite composite is mass-producible and it has superior battery performances with industrial electrode density, high areal capacity, and low amounts of binder.”
As always with battery “breakthroughs,” possibility and practical/commercial viability aren’t the same thing. It’s hard to say at this point what will come of this, but it’s probably worth keeping an eye on.
The new findings are detailed in a paper published in the August issue of the journal Nature Energy.
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