A team of researchers from the Technion‒Israel Institute of Technology has developed a proof-of-concept for a novel rechargeable silicon (Si) battery, as well as its design and architecture that enables Si to be reversibly discharged and charged.
Led by Professor Yair Ein-Eli of the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, the team proved via systematic experimental works of the graduate student, Alon Epstein and theoretical studies of Igor Baskin, that Si is dissolved during the battery-discharge process. Upon charging, elemental Si is deposited.
Several discharge-charge cycles were achieved, utilizing heavy doped n-type Si wafer anodes and specially designed hybrid-based ionic liquid electrolytes, tailored with halides (bromine and iodine), functioning as conversion cathodes.
This breakthrough could pave the way towards the enrichment of battery technologies available in the energy-storage “super-market,” providing ease for the ever-growing demand for rechargeable batteries.
The Technion team is made up of researchers from the Faculties of Materials Science and Mechanical and Chemical Engineering.
