title: Exceptional electrochemical performance of Si-nanowires in 1,3-dioxolane solutions: a surface chemical investigation.
abstract: The effect of 1,3-dioxolane (DOL) based electrolyte solutions (DOL/LiTFSI and DOL/LiTFSI-LiNO(3)) on the electrochemical performance and surface chemistry of silicon nanowire (SiNW) anodes was systematically investigated. SiNWs exhibited an exceptional electrochemical performance in DOL solutions in contrast to standard alkyl carbonate solutions (EC-DMC/LiPF(6)). Reduced irreversible capacity losses, enhanced and stable reversible capacities over prolonged cycling, and lower impedance were identified with DOL solutions. After 1000 charge-discharge cycles (at 60 °C and a 6 C rate), SiNWs in DOL/LiTFSI-LiNO(3) solution exhibited a reversible capacity of 1275 mAh/g, whereas only 575 and 20 mAh/g were identified in DOL/LiTFSI and EC-DMC solutions, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies demonstrated the complete and uniform lithiation of SiNWs in DOL-based electrolyte solutions and incomplete, nonuniform lithiation in EC-DMC solutions. In addition, the formation of compact and uniform surface films on SiNWs cycled in DOL-based electrolyte solutions was identified by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) imaging, while the surface films formed in EC-DMC based solutions were thick and nonuniform. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were employed to analyze the surface chemistry of SiNWs cycled in EC-DMC and DOL based electrolyte solutions. The distinctive surface chemistry of SiNWs cycled in DOL based electrolyte solutions was found to be responsible for their enhanced electrochemical performances.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel.
authors.forename: Vinodkumar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Etacheri
authors.forename: Uzi
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: Yossi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gofer
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Ionel C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Stefan
authors.forename: Rainier
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fasching
authors.forename: Doron
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aurbach
mesh_terms: D004148:Dioxolanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004563:Electrochemistry; D008094:Lithium / Q000737:chemistry; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry*; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D004148:Dioxolanes; D012996:Solutions; D008094:Lithium; C010962:formal glycol; D012825:Silicon