Single-walled carbon nanotubes doped with ‘nitrogen’ enhance the performance of secondary battery anode

Researchers have developed a brand new manufacturing method for “silicon/nitrogen-doped carbon composite anode materials.” These supplies goal to boost the capability and stability of lithium-ion battery anodes.

Silicon, regardless of providing considerably greater vitality density in comparison with graphite (a typical anode materials), suffers from a serious disadvantage: it expands 3-4 occasions throughout charging and discharging, resulting in efficiency degradation. To handle this subject, researchers are mixing silicon with graphite to stability their strengths and weaknesses.

To maximise silicon content material and overcome its limitations, the Korea Electrotechnology Analysis Institute (KERI) has utilized nitrogen-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene. Single-walled carbon nanotubes, being thinner and extra conductive than multi-walled ones, current challenges in dispersion resulting from their small diameter. Leveraging their experience in nanocarbon supplies, KERI has developed a pioneering functionalization and colloidal dispersion applied sciences, facilitating the incorporation of nitrogen onto the carbon nanotube floor.

When utilized to lithium-ion battery anodesthese nitrogen-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes speed up lithium-ion motion to silicon, enhancing charging velocity and stability throughout quite a few cost/discharge cycles. Moreover, encapsulating the anode supplies with graphene additional stabilizes silicon enlargement.

By way of intensive testing, KERI has demonstrated that batteries using their composite anode supplies preserve over 82% efficiency after 100 cost/discharge cycles, in comparison with solely 30% for typical silicon composite anodes. This development eliminates the necessity for typical conductive components like carbon black.

The group, Dr. Han Joong Tark and pupil researcher Lee Do Geun on the Nano Hybrid Expertise Analysis Heart of KERI, envision broader purposes for this know-how, together with solid-state batteries, the place lithium diffusion velocity is essential. The analysis findings have been published within the journal Superior Purposeful Supplies.