- By:
- Burdette-Trofimov, Mary K; Armstrong, Beth L; Heroux, Luke A; Doucet, Mathieu ; Yang, Guang ; Kidder, Michelle K; Phillip, Nathan D; Rogers, Alexander M; Veith, Gabriel M
- Journal Name:
- The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
- Page Number:
- 13479-13494
- Volume:
- 124
- Issue Number:
- 24
- Publication Date:
- November 9, 2023
- View DOI Listing:
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c03660
Abstract
The conformation of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as a function of shear during slurry processing to construct silicon-based anodes is elucidated via rheology-coupled ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (rheo-USANS). Rheo-USANS shows that PAA with encapsulated silicon exists as discrete aggregates that do not interact with one another. As a result, a well-connected matrix of silicon and carbon black dispersed in PAA does not exist; thus, the electrode is inhomogeneous. Raman mapping and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to confirm the electrode heterogeneity and further understand the cycling properties. These results are correlated to silicon surface chemistry to provide a pathway to making better electrodes.
