Low cost electrode materials are
essential for the expansion of
the applications of large-format Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Kerf-loss
(KL) Si waste from the photovoltaic industry represents a low cost,
high-purity Si source for the production of high capacity anodes of
LIBs. Producing an energy storage device from solar-panel industry
waste is a potential environment-friendly energy development. This
study addressed the challenges of employing KL Si as high-capacity
LIB anode. The abrasive SiC particle impurities in KL waste powder
were used not only as a milling agent to reduce silicon particle size
but also as mechanically and electrochemically robust pillars that
resist microstructural degradation of the electrode caused by the
expansion of Si during lithiation. High energy ball milling of Si
with rigid SiC produced fused nanosilicon particles that were supported
on micrometer-sized SiC; this resulted in substantially mitigated
capacity fading. In addition, an effective conducting network was
formed by incorporating Ni into the Si agglomerates, enabling high
rate density and maintaining high powder tap density. The resulting
Si–SiC–Ni composite powder exhibits high capacity and
long-term stability
