Influence of the SEI Formation on the Stability and Lithium Diffusion in Si Electrodes

[Image: see text] Silicon (Si) is an attractive anode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical specific capacity. However, the solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, caused by liquid electrolyte decomposition, often befalls Si electrodes. The SEI layer is less Li-ion conductive, which would significantly inhibit Li-ion transport and delay the reaction kinetics. Understanding the interaction between the SEI components and Li-ion diffusion is crucial for further improving the cycling performance of Si. Herein, different liquid electrolytes are applied to investigate the induced SEI components, structures, and their role in Li-ion transport. It is found that Si electrodes exhibit higher discharge capacities in LiClO(4)-based electrolytes than in LiPF(6)-based electrolytes. This behavior suggests that a denser and more conductive SEI layer is formed in LiClO(4)-based electrolytes. In addition, a coating of a Li(3)PO(4) artificial SEI layer on Si suppresses the formation of natural SEI formation, leading to higher capacity retentions. Furthermore, galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) measurements are applied to calculate Li-ion diffusion coefficients, which are found in the range of 10(–23)–10(–19) m(2)/s.