Abstract
Graphite, with a modest specific capacity of 372 mA h g−1, is a stable material for lithium-ion battery anodes. However, its capacity is inadequate to meet the growing power demands because the formation of an irregular solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) can result in unstable performance. In this research, we used a few cycles of atomic layer deposition (ALD) to deposit ZnO on graphite particles as an anode with improved electrochemical stability. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that ZnO was in the form of nanoparticles due to the inert surface properties of graphite and only a few cycles of ALD. Electrochemical characterization demonstrated that the ZnO ALD nanoparticles significantly inhibited dendrite growth, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that side reactions at the electrolyte-electrode interface were inhibited with the deposition of ZnO. The SEI layer was stabilized, which improved the cycling stability of the ZnO-graphite composite electrode. The electrode made of graphite with 2 cycles of ZnO ALD had about 20% higher discharge capacity than that of pristine graphite, and it remained stable at 420 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles of charge/discharge. This surface modification technique can significantly increase the potential use of widely available graphite composites for high-performance batteries.
Recommended Citation
A. Helaley et al., "Graphite Particles Modified by ZnO Atomic Layer Deposition for Li-ion Battery Anodes," Energy Advances, Royal Society of Chemistry, Jan 2025.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1039/d4ya00518j
Department(s)
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
2753-1457
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2025 The Authors, All rights reserved.
Creative Commons Licensing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Publication Date
01 Jan 2025
