Reduced Volume Expansion of Micron‐Sized SiOx via Closed‐Nanopore Structure Constructed by Mg‐Induced Elemental Segregation

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 63; no. 21; pp. e202401973 - n/a
• Main Authors: Xu, Di‐Xin, Zhao, Yu‐Ming, Chen, Han‐Xian, Lu, Zhuo‐Ya, Tian, Yi‐Fan, Xin, Sen, Li, Ge, Guo, Yu‐Guo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 21.05.2024
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Anodes; Bulk density; closed-nanopore; doping; Electrochemistry; Fabrication; Lithium; Lithium-ion batteries; lithium-ion battery; Magnesium silicates; Silicates; Silicon; volume expansion; doping; closed-nanopore; silicon; lithium-ion battery; volume expansion
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202401973

The inherently huge volume expansion during Li uptake has hindered the use of Si‐based anodes in high‐energy lithium‐ion batteries. While some pore‐forming and nano‐architecting strategies show promises to effectively buffer the volume change, other parameters essential for practical electrode fabrication, such as compaction density, are often compromised. Here we propose a new in situ Mg doping strategy to form closed‐nanopore structure into a micron‐sized SiOx particle at a high bulk density. The doped Mg atoms promote the segregation of O, so that high‐density magnesium silicates form to generate closed nanopores. By altering the mass content of Mg dopant, the average radii (ranged from 5.4 to 9.7 nm) and porosities (ranged from 1.4 % to 15.9 %) of the closed pores are precisely adjustable, which accounts for volume expansion of SiOx from 77.8 % to 22.2 % at the minimum. Benefited from the small volume variation, the Mg‐doped micron‐SiOx anode demonstrates improved Li storage performance towards realization of a 700‐(dis)charge‐cycle, 11‐Ah‐pouch‐type cell at a capacity retention of >80 %. This work offers insights into reasonable design of the internal structure of micron‐sized SiOx and other materials that undergo conversion or alloying reactions with drastic volume change, to enable high‐energy batteries with stable electrochemistry. The segregation of O was adjusted by in situ Mg doping during the vacuum deposition process to construct closed‐nanopore structure in micron‐sized SiOx. The obtained SiOxMgy@C realized a porosity of 14.4 % with closed‐nanopores, leading to a reduced volume expansion of the electrode from 77.8 % to 29.8 % and thus improved cycling stability.