Performance improvement of nanoporous Si composite anodes in all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries by using acetylene black as a conductive additive

Si is the most promising anode active material for lithium-ion batteries owing to its high theoretical capacity and low operating potential. In this study, composite anodes consisting of nanoporous Si particles, Li3PS4 solid electrolyte, and a conductive additive (CA) in weight ratios of 4:6:x (x = 1, 2, 3, and 4) are fabricated and tested. The electrical conductivities are 4.1 x 10-4 S cm- 1 and 6.8 x 10-4 S cm- 1 at x = 1 and 4, respectively. In addition, the charge capacity increases in proportion with CA content from 2700 mAh g- 1 to 3015 mAh g-1. These results indicate that new conduction paths are created in the nanoporous Si composite anodes upon adding a CA. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effect of a CA on the electrochemical performance of all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries with Si-based anodes. Our findings provide valuable information that should be helpful in meeting the energy demands of next-generation applications.