Lithium–silicon batteries are lithium-ion batteries that employ a silicon-based anode, and lithium ions as the charge carriers. Silicon based materials, generally, have a much larger specific capacity, for example, 3600 mAh/g for pristine silicon. The standard anode material graphite is limited to a maximum theoretical capacity of 372 mAh/g for the fully lithiated state LiC6. The first laboratory experiments with lithium-silicon materials took place in the early to mid 1970s. Silicon. The lattice distance between silicon atoms multiplies as it accommodates lithium ions (lithiation), reaching 320% of the original volume. The expansion causes large anisotropic stresses to occur within the electrode materia. Besides the well recognized problems associated with large volume expansion, for example cracking the SEI layer, a second well recognized issue involves the reactivity of the charged materials. Since charged silicon is a lithium.
