Development of Si/rGO negative electrode ink suitable for screen printed lithium ion batteries

In the quest for efficient and lightweight rechargeable energy storage, ink-based Si/rGO composites for printable Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) have been investigated. Yolk-shell structured Si/rGO composites have been successfully synthesized to overcome silicon's conductivity and improve cycling stability. The Si/rGO/CMC/PEO electrode demonstrated a lower charge transfer resistance (65.7 S2) and a higher Li+ diffusion coefficient (7.83 x 10-8 cm2 s-1) compared to the Si/rGO/CMC/SBR electrode (92.5 S2 and 1.26 x 10-8 cm2 s-1). These properties make the Si/rGO/CMC/PEO nanocomposite more favorable for rapid charge and discharge processes. CMC/PEObased printed electrode exhibits 2988 mAh g-1 capacity after 50 cycles at 0.05C. Moreover, discharge capacity retention was 89 %. Rheological properties of CMC/PEO combined inks show superior shear-thinning behaviour compared to CMC/SBR. Produced novel printable electrode inks with increased capacity and cycling life will trigger the development of highly efficient printed batteries, accelerating the development of breakthrough technologies, such as wearable technologies, through printed electronics.