Research Progress on the Structural Design and Optimization of Silicon Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Mini-Review

Silicon anodes have been considered one of the most promising anode candidates for the next generation of high-energy density lithium-ion batteries due to the high theoretical specific capacity (4200 mAh g-1) of Si. However, high lithiation capacity endows silicon anodes with severe volume expansion effects during the charge/discharge cycling. The repeated volume expansions not only lead to the pulverization of silicon particles and the separation of electrode materials from the current collector, but also bring rupture/formation of solid electrolyte interface (SEI) and continuous electrolyte consumption, which seriously hinders the commercial application of silicon anodes. Structural design and optimization are the key to improving the electrochemical performances of silicon anodes, which has attracted wide attention and research in recent years. This paper mainly summarizes and compares the latest research progress for the structural design and optimization of silicon anodes.