Application and Development of Silicon Anode Binders for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The use of silicon (Si) as a lithium-ion battery's (LIBs) anode active material has been a popular subject of research, due to its high theoretical specific capacity (4200 mAh g(-1)). However, the volume of Si undergoes a huge expansion (300%) during the charging and discharging process of the battery, resulting in the destruction of the anode's structure and the rapid decay of the battery's energy density, which limits the practical application of Si as the anode active material. Lithium-ion batteries' capacity, lifespan, and safety can be increased through the efficient mitigation of Si volume expansion and the maintenance of the stability of the electrode's structure with the employment of polymer binders. The main degradation mechanism of Si-based anodes and the methods that have been reported to effectively solve the Si volume expansion problem firstly are introduced. Then, the review demonstrates the representative research work on the design and development of new Si-based anode binders to improve the cycling stability of Si-based anode structure from the perspective of binders, and finally concludes by summarizing and outlining the progress of this research direction.

Automated summary

The use of silicon as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries has been widely studied for its high theoretical capacity. However, the expansion of silicon volume during charging and discharging causes structural damage and rapid decay of energy density, limiting its practical application. This review introduces the degradation mechanism of silicon anodes and explores the use of polymer binders to mitigate volume expansion and maintain electrode stability. The progress and research direction in developing new silicon-based anode binders for improved cycling stability are also summarized.