Materials and electrode engineering of high capacity anodes in lithium ion batteries

For high capacity anodes, huge volume change, low electronic conductivity, anisotropic initial lithiation and non-uniform phase distribution during charge-discharge cycles will cause issues at particle and electrode scales including giant mechanical stress at very local area or through the whole matrix, and thus cause particle crack and fracture, Li trapping, SEI break and regrowth, and electrode pulverization and electrolyte loss. We thoroughly reviewed some novel strategies from aspects of materials design and electrode engineering to address the issues impeding the large scale of deployment. The size and structure effects were thoroughly reviewed using the Griffith's theory and Irwin's modification. Following that, the geometry constraint in the form of 2D, 1D and 0D was elaborated as well as the strategies, i.e. buffer design to accommodate stress-strain. The importance of binder's role was highlighted regarding the morphology, structure and distribution of binders at particle and electrode scales. The strength balanced adhesion and cohesion was introduced in order to inspire binder development. The most practical solutions deploying such high capacity anodes were believed by hybrid with graphite. Stable SEI formation and growth are complicated and elaborated in three scenarios, and toughly discussed from chemical, mechanical and electrochemical points of view.