Nano-mechanics is a stream of nanoscience, involving the examination of the mechanical (elastic, thermal and kinetic) properties of different physical systems at the nanometer scale. A nanometer is a unit of measurement equal to one billionth of a meter. Nano-mechanics is concerned with the manipulation of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale.
Researchers have undertaken a detailed nano-mechanical study of the degradation processes in silicon structures that contain lithium ions offers. This understanding is seen as necessary for developing a next-generation of rechargeable batteries using silicon-based electrodes.
Silicon-based electrodes for high-capacity lithium-ion batteries are considered to more efficient than standard electrodes. Here anodes (negative electrodes) formed from silicon can, in theory, store up to 10 times more lithium ions than conventional graphite electrodes allow. These types of batteries can store substantially more lithium ions per atom.
One problem is that silicon based electrodes are relatively brittle. Because batteries undergo significant molecular changes (where molecules increase and decrease in size), this brittleness is a problem.
To overcome this, a research group based at Georgia Institute of Technology has developed electrochemically-lithiated silicon materials. The use of a transmission electron microscope helped the development process. In tests, these materials are more stable and they are capable of higher performance.
Using lithiated silicon the researchers think they can construct durable silicon-based batteries. This could lead to a new generation of improved batteries.
The research findings are published in the journal Nature Communications. The paper is headed “High Damage Tolerance of Electrochemically Lithiated Silicon.”
