A stable lithiated silicon–chalcogen battery via synergetic chemical coupling between silicon and selenium

Li-ion batteries dominate portable energy storage due to their exceptional power and energy characteristics. Yet, various consumer devices and electric vehicles demand higher specific energy and power with longer cycle life. Here we report a full-cell battery that contains a lithiated Si/graphene anode paired with a selenium disulfide (SeS(2)) cathode with high capacity and long-term stability. Selenium, which dissolves from the SeS(2) cathode, was found to become a component of the anode solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), leading to a significant increase of the SEI conductivity and stability. Moreover, the replacement of lithium metal anode impedes unwanted side reactions between the dissolved intermediate products from the SeS(2) cathode and lithium metal and eliminates lithium dendrite formation. As a result, the capacity retention of the lithiated silicon/graphene—SeS(2) full cell is 81% after 1,500 cycles at 268 mA g(SeS2)(−1). The achieved cathode capacity is 403 mAh g(SeS2)(−1) (1,209 mAh cm(SeS2)(−3)).