erion scientists and collaborators used advanced modeling to show that smart 3D scaffold design dramatically reduces the stress that destroys silicon anodes — a critical step toward batteries that last longer and charge faster
Silicon is a promising material for next generation lithium ion battery anodes, because of its high theoretical specific capacityand relatively low operating voltage. However, due to the significant volume change during its lithiation/de-lithiation, the cyclelife of Si-based anodes is restricted. A novel Si-coated inverse opal-structured anode, designed to mitigate the negative impacts ofcycling-induced volume changes, is investigated in this study. The lithiation-induced stresses in the anode are predicted via coupledelectrochemical- and mechanics-based finite element (FE) models. In this study, the effects of various cycling conditions and anodedesign parameters on the lithiation-induced stresses are explored, including the charging C-rate, thickness of the Si coating layer, andstructural and mechanical properties of the supporting scaffold. It is found that the inverse opal anode structure could improve theuniform distribution of lithium in Si host material. It is also found that the anode structural design parameters have large influenceson the stress concentrations in the Si coating layer, as well as in the supporting scaffold of the anode.
