Lithium–silicon batteries are lithium-ion batteries that employ a silicon-based anode, and lithium ions as the charge carriers. Silicon based materials, generally, have a much larger specific capacity, for example, 3600 mAh/g for pristine silicon. The standard anode material graphite is limited to a maximum theoretical capacity. The first laboratory experiments with lithium-silicon materials took place in the early to mid 1970s. Silicon-graphite composite electrodesSilicon carbon composite anodes were first reported in 2002 by. The lattice distance between silicon atoms multiplies as it accommodates lithium ions (lithiation), reaching 320% of the original volume. The expansion causes large anisotropic stresses to occur within the electrode material, fracturing and crumbling the silicon. Starting from the first cycle of lithium-ion battery operation, the decomposes to form lithium compounds on the anode surface, producing a layer called the solid-electrolyte interface (SEI). For both silicon and graphite anodes, this SEI layer is the result of the Besides the well recognized problems associated with large volume expansion, for example cracking the SEI layer, a second well recognized issue involves the reactivity of the charged materials. Since charged silicon is a lithium, its salt-like structure is built from. • •.
