Paper-Like Material Can Boost Vehicle Batteries

At the University of California researchers have developed paper-like material for lithium-ion batteries, which has possibility to increase the energy capacity that can be delivered per unit weight of lithium-ion battery.It contains sponge-like silicon nanofibers which are more than hundred times thinner than human hair.This paper-like material can be used in batteries for personal electonics and electronic cars as well.

The journal Nature Scientific Reported that "Towards Scalable Binderless Electrodes: Carbon Coated Silicon Nanofiber Paper via Mg Reduction of Electrospun SiO2 Nanofibers."In this process the nanofibers produced by 

electrospinning technique, whereby a solution of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), used in the semiconductor industry, is put into a rotating drum and a nozzle with 20,000 to 40,000 volts.Exposure to magnesium vapor then creates the spongr-like silicon fiber.

Researchers used anodes which are made by copper foil with silicon material except of graphite mixture.Silicon has ten times higher electrical charge than graphite.But silicon is volumetric expansion which can degrade the battery.Researchers solved this problem by creation of nanofiber structure which enables the battery to be cycled hundreds of times without degradation.

Zach Favors who is graduate student at Bourns College of Engineering said,"Eliminating the need for metal current collectors and inactive polymer binders while switching to an energy dense material such as silicon will significantly boost the range capabilities of electric vehicles." 

Free-standing materials such as carbon nanotubes or silicon nanowires, are produced by using chemical vapor deposition, can only be created in small quantities in a lab, rather than an industrial levels.

The researchers are thinking to integrate the nanofibers into a pouch cell format lithium-ion battery, which can be used in electric vehicles and other devices on large scale.

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