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July 27, 2017 - Highly elastic binders integrating polyrotaxanes for silicon microparticle anodes in lithium ion batteries
Science, 2017, Vol 357, p 279-283
Jang Wook Choi from the Graduate school of energy, environment, water, and sustainability at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Lithium-ion batteries with ever-increasing energy densities are needed for batteries for advanced devices and all-electric vehicles. Silicon has been highlighted as a promising anode material because of its superior specific capacity. During repeated charge-discharge cycles, silicon undergoes huge volume changes. This limits cycle life via particle pulverization and an unstable electrode-electrolyte interface, especially when the particle sizes are in the micrometer range. We show that the incorporation of 5 weight % polyrotaxane to conventional polyacrylic acid binder imparts extraordinary elasticity to the polymer network originating from the ring sliding motion of polyrotaxane. This binder combination keeps even pulverized silicon particles coalesced without disintegration, enabling stable cycle life for silicon microparticle anodes at commercial-level areal capacities.
My takeaways:
1. This is unique approach to an old problem: the anode in batteries degrades over time. This is the reason that batteries get progressively worse. The researchers found a method to incorporate molecular rubber bands to keep the anode from degrading over time. They were able to show minimal decrease in battery capacity over 400 cycles.
2. While this technology is another exciting upgrade to Li ion batteries, commercializing rotaxane synthesis and incorporation will likely have unexpected challenges. However, due to the impending size of the battery market, a promising business could be built around this technology in the American market. Additionally, it’s my opinion that the concept of incorporating polyrotaxanes into various materials would be a viable pathway to creating materials that didn’t crack or degrade over time. This could have impacts in the solar cell industry, rocket material industry, and medical implants industry where the goal is to create a material that will last a very long time under significant stresses.
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By Michael BruckmanScience, 2017, Vol 357, p 279-283
Jang Wook Choi from the Graduate school of energy, environment, water, and sustainability at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Lithium-ion batteries with ever-increasing energy densities are needed for batteries for advanced devices and all-electric vehicles. Silicon has been highlighted as a promising anode material because of its superior specific capacity. During repeated charge-discharge cycles, silicon undergoes huge volume changes. This limits cycle life via particle pulverization and an unstable electrode-electrolyte interface, especially when the particle sizes are in the micrometer range. We show that the incorporation of 5 weight % polyrotaxane to conventional polyacrylic acid binder imparts extraordinary elasticity to the polymer network originating from the ring sliding motion of polyrotaxane. This binder combination keeps even pulverized silicon particles coalesced without disintegration, enabling stable cycle life for silicon microparticle anodes at commercial-level areal capacities.
My takeaways:
1. This is unique approach to an old problem: the anode in batteries degrades over time. This is the reason that batteries get progressively worse. The researchers found a method to incorporate molecular rubber bands to keep the anode from degrading over time. They were able to show minimal decrease in battery capacity over 400 cycles.
2. While this technology is another exciting upgrade to Li ion batteries, commercializing rotaxane synthesis and incorporation will likely have unexpected challenges. However, due to the impending size of the battery market, a promising business could be built around this technology in the American market. Additionally, it’s my opinion that the concept of incorporating polyrotaxanes into various materials would be a viable pathway to creating materials that didn’t crack or degrade over time. This could have impacts in the solar cell industry, rocket material industry, and medical implants industry where the goal is to create a material that will last a very long time under significant stresses.