Xylitol-Maleic Anhydride as Small-Molecule Binders for Silicon Anodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries. Issue 10 (27th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chang, Yu-Lung; Sharma, Santosh U.; Shiu, Jiun-Pu; Lee, Jyh-Tsung
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Electrochemical Society. Volume 168:Issue 10(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-10-27
• Subjects: lithium-ion batteries -- Silicon -- binder -- xylitol -- maleic anhydride; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; 541.3705
• DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/ac2d42
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4651

Abstract

Abstract : The theoretical capacity (∼4200 mAh g −1 ) of silicon (Si) electrode is almost tenfold higher than that of commercially available graphite. However, the cycle-life performance of the Si electrode is poor. Herein, small molecules, sugar alcohol (xylitol) and maleic anhydride, are used as an aqueous binder to obtain high-performance Si electrodes. The xylitol-maleic anhydride (X-MA) binder is in situ polymerized by esterification of maleic anhydride with xylitol and oxa-Michael addition of an α, β -unsaturated ester with hydroxyl groups of xylitol during the preparation of slurry and the drying of electrode. The X-MA binder is characterized by Fourier-transform infrared and solid-state 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, confirming that the esterification and oxa-Michael addition reactions occur during the fabrication of Si electrodes. The results of thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry show that X-MA has good thermal stability and is an elastomer. The 180° peeling test results indicate that the presence of hydroxyl groups in the xylitol moiety results in a strong interaction between the binder and Si nanoparticles, improving the mechanical properties of the Si electrode. Furthermore, the Si electrode with the X-MA binder exhibits a high energy capacity of 4012 mAh g −1 at 0.1 C, enhanced C-rate performance, and good cycle-life performance.