Advances in the application of silicon-based materials in anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are a vital energy storage technology being utilized increasingly in electric cars, portable electronics, energy storage systems, and other industries as the world focuses more on clean energy and sustainable development. Notwithstanding, the constraints associated with conventional graphite anode materials concerning energy density and cycle stability provide a challenge in fulfilling the forthcoming demand for high-performance batteries. Because silicon compounds offer a substantially greater theoretical specific capacity than conventional graphite anodes, they have gained popularity as research targets for anode materials for next-generation high-performance lithium-ion batteries. However, silicon materials still face many challenges in commercial applications. It has a low first-time coulombic efficiency, which increases the cost of the battery and reduces its actual usable capacity. Its solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film formed during charging and discharging is less stable, which can easily lead to battery performance degradation. To overcome the challenges of silicon materials in LIBs cell applications, this paper summarises the application of silicon nanostructures, silicon/carbon composites, and silicon/metal composites in LIBs. It aims to broaden its application in LIBs further.