Transgenic Engineering on Silicon Surfaces Enables Robust Interface Chemistry

Using electrolyte additives to manipulate the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) is an effective means to optimize battery performance; however, how to regulate their interactions with electrode surfaces, especially for those relatively inert ones, is a huge challenge. Here we demonstrate feasible transgenic engineering as a promising concept to address this challenge with Si anode as the platform. MoSe2 is a better gene in comparison with the pristine Si for preferentially adsorbing and reducing the widely used electrolyte additive fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) to engineer the SEI, and based on this, we specifically constructed MoSe2-coated Si (Si@MoSe2). We found that the MoSe2 coating can promote the catalytic decomposition of FEC to form a robust and highly ion-conductive SEI with abundant polymerized vinylene carbonate and LiF, thus endowing Si@MoSe2 with enhanced battery behavior. This strategy offers a unique insight for regulating the interface chemistry of high-capacity electrodes.