【Negative Electrode Materials】The Core for Enhancing the Energy Density of Lithium-ion Batteries!

Since the inception of lithium-ion batteries, the improvement of their energy density has been crucial for technological advancement and industrial development. After decades of research and application, the energy density of modern lithium-ion batteries has increased by approximately threefold, with an annual compound growth rate of 3%. However, as technology approaches its limits, traditional materials and techniques are insufficient to support further increases in energy density. Developing new types of negative electrode materials has become a new focus for industry development. 

Currently, common commercial negative electrode materials used in lithium-ion batteries include graphite-based carbon materials, amorphous carbon materials, lithium titanium oxide, and silicon-based materials. Among them, artificial graphite and natural graphite occupy the majority of the market share due to their advantages such as good stability and relatively low cost. Artificial graphite is prepared through a high-temperature graphitization process, while natural graphite requires crushing and purification treatments. Artificial graphite electrodes are widely used in the steel and metallurgical industries, let's learn more. Although each has its own advantages, both face limitations in terms of cycle life and capacity enhancement.

In exploring new types of negative electrode materials, hard carbon materials have received considerable attention due to their rapid charge-discharge performance and excellent low-temperature charging performance. Hard carbon materials have a high reversible capacity, but they suffer from issues such as large irreversible capacity and voltage hysteresis. Lithium titanium oxide is applied in energy storage batteries due to its excellent cycle stability and safety, but its lower specific capacity limits its application in power batteries.

Silicon-based negative electrode materials are considered the most promising next-generation negative electrode materials due to their high specific capacity and moderate lithium insertion potential. Despite issues such as volume expansion and poor conductivity during charge-discharge processes, the commercial prospects for silicon materials are gradually becoming clearer through technological improvements such as nanomaterials and composites. Currently, silicon-oxygen and silicon-carbon composite materials are the main silicon-based negative electrode products in the market, and they have been applied in specific markets such as consumer electronic products. Follow us for recent reports on the negative electrode industry.