Stanford researchers have designed a novel pomegranate inspired hierarchical structure which improves the energy density cycle life Coulombic efficiency and cost efficiency of silicon-based anode for Li-ion Li-O2 and Li-S batteries. The prototype successfully demonstrated superior cycle life (1000 cycles with 97% capacity retention) low electrode/electrolyte contact area for improvement of Coulombic efficiency and increased tap density. Furthermore unprecedented stable cycling (100 cycles with 94% capacity retention) with high areal capacity (3.7 mAh/cm2) similar to the areal capacity of commercial Li-ion batteries have been achieved. The successful design principles developed here can be widely applied to other high-capacity Li battery electrodes. Applications: 1) Li-ion Li-O2 and Li-S batteries with high energy density long cycle life and low cost 2) Electric vehicles 3) Portable electronic devices
1) Long cycle life at high mass loading (>3 mAh/cm2) 2) Wrapped secondary particles low contact area with electrolyte high 1st CE 3) Secondary particles with close packing high tap density 4) Low-cost and scalable fabrication 5) Does not use expensive Si precursors or reagents during fabrication process 6) Close-packing secondary particles