Porous Silicon Nanoparticle and Graphite Hybrid Structures for Li-Ion Battery Anodes

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This engage grant will focus on the development of porous silicon nanoparticle/graphite (Si/C) hybrid materials in collaboration with Elcora Advanced Materials and Dasog research lab which will be explored as high capacity anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). LIBs are widely used for energy storage in portable electronics and Elcora produces high-quality graphite that is used as anodes in commercial LIBs. However, the low theoretical gravimetric capacity of the conventional graphite anodes makes them inapt for grid-scale storage. Combining graphite with silicon can increase the gravimetric capacity and improve the conductivity and ion-transport in the anode, as well as mitigate the problems with volume expansion in pure silicon anodes. The Si/C hybrid materials that will be developed in this project will provide high-capacity anodes that can position Elcora in the marketplace with a disruptive new LIB product that can be used for grid-scale storage. Dr. Dasog has expertise in silicon nanomaterials and her research group will prepare the Si/C hybrid materials with the graphite supplied by Elcora. The porosity and the hierarchal makeup of the hybrid materials will be varied by the Dasog lab to accommodate volume expansion in silicon during lithiation. These materials will be tested as anodes in LIBs by Elcora researchers. Growing concerns over increased carbon dioxide emissions and to mitigate climate change, society needs to increase the use of renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind. However, storage solutions also need to be developed simultaneously for large-scale integration of intermittent energy sources such as solar into electrical grids. The project will help Elcora Advanced Materials develop energy storage solutions has the potential to deliver a large proportion of Canada's electricity needs in a sustainable manner.