Fraunhofer Develops Process for Fabricating Porous Silicon Layers in Lithium-Ion Cells

Fraunhofer scientists developed a process that's cost-efficient and environmentally friendly for fabricating porous silicon layers as anode material in lithium-ion batteries, said the research institute Wednesday. Replacing conventional graphite materials with silicon “promises an almost tenfold increase in the specific charging capacity of the anode,” it said. The porous structure in the silicon provides adequate space for expansion during charging, and “thus capacity fade is minimized,” it said. “The porous structure can be manipulated and optimized to the specific battery requirements by adapting process parameters. The zinc can be collected and reused in the conceived process." Early test results “show an encouraging battery performance,” it said.