The high lithium storage capacity of silicon makes it a promising candidate for improving the overall energy storage capacity of the Li-ion batteries. However, the combination of predictable capacity fade over the period of tens of cycles coupled with the unknown chemistries that occur at the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) are large barriers for industrial adoption. Here, I present recent efforts geared toward understanding the role of role oxidation plays at the surface of silicon and its impact on half-cell cycling characteristics. I show that, counterintuitively, an increasingly oxidized surface (SiO<sub>x</sub>) results in the best cycling efficiencies and as well as longevity. These results are understood and explained within the framework of the chemical reactivity of Si and Li<sub>x</sub>Si toward other components of the anode composite and the important role of early SEI formation.

Intentional surface oxidation of silicon nanoparticles for improved Li-ion battery composite anodes

2019 Fall National Meeting

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