Andam Deatama Refino, Egy Adhitama, Marlena M. Bela, Sumesh Sadhujan, Sherina Harilal, Calvin Eldona, Heiko Bremers, Muhammad Y. Bashouti, Afriyanti Sumboja, Marian C. Stan, Martin Winter, Tobias Placke, Erwin Peiner, Hutomo Suryo Wasisto
Silicon has attracted considerable attention for use as high-capacity anodes of lithium-ion microbatteries. However, its extreme volume change upon (de-)lithiation still poses a challenge for adoption as it leads to severe active lithium loss that shortens the cycle life. Here, we fabricate three-dimensional monocrystalline vertical silicon nanowires on a silicon wafer using low-cost metal-assisted chemical etching, then cover them with lithium using thermal evaporation prior to the battery operation as the pre-lithiation step, to investigate its impact on electrochemical performance. To reveal the underlying physical and electrochemical mechanisms, we also process a comparative planar monocrystalline silicon. We find that pre-lithiation results in improved (de-)lithiation behavior, especially in planar silicon-based cells, while silicon nanowire-based cells exhibit low capacity in early cycles. This study sheds light on the surface design and structural modification of monocrystalline silicon nanowires with respect to pre-lithiation by lithium thermal evaporation. © 2023, Springer Nature Limited.
Institute of Semiconductor Technology (IHT) and Laboratory for Emerging Nanometrology (LENA), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Str. 66, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany; Engineering Physics Program, Institut Teknologi Sumatera (ITERA), Jl. Terusan Ryacudu, Lampung Selatan, Way Huwi, 35365, Indonesia; MEET Battery Research Center, Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstr. 46, Münster, 48149, Germany; International Graduate School for Battery Chemistry, Characterization, Analysis, Recycling and Application (BACCARA), University of Münster, Corrensstr. 40, Münster, 48149, Germany; Department of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshset Ben-Gurion, Building 26, Be’er Sheva, 8499000, Israel; Material Science and Engineering Research Group, Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore; Institute of Applied Physics and Laboratory for Emerging Nanometrology (LENA), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 2, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany; The IISe-Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer-Sheba Campus, Building 51, Be’er Sheva, 8410501, Israel; Research Collaboration Center for Advanced Energy Materials, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia; Helmholtz Institute Münster, IEK-12, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Corrensstr. 46, Münster, 48149, Germany; PT Nanosense Instrument Indonesia, Umbulharjo, Yogyakarta, 55167, Indonesia