Author: Nathiya Kalidas
Title: Affordable porous silicon composite anode from agricultural residue
Affiliation: University of Eastern Finland
Abstract
Silicon has been considered as the most promising high-capacity anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIB). Si-based anode suffers from capacity loss stemming from the large volume changes (300%) during the lithiation/delitiation process. Porous silicon (PSi) structures can solve the problem and provide stable anodes for the future LIBs. The cost and environmental impact of the anode material can be reduced by using agricultural residues. Barley husk is rich in phytoliths that are amorphous nanostructures of porous silica. In the present study, PSi was prepared from barley husk ash containing nanostructured SiO2 and reduced to silicon through magnesiothermic reduction so that the nanostructure formed by the nature remains. To enhance the electrical conductivity of the PSi anode, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were conjugated to the thermally carbonized surface of PSi particles. Due to the conjugated CNTs the rate performance of the silicon anode was essentially improved.