Effects of Excessive Prelithiation on Full-Cell Performance of Li-Ion Batteries with a Hard-Carbon/Nanosized-Si Composite Anode

The effects of excessive prelithiation on the full-cell performance of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) with a hard-carbon/nanosized-Si (HC/N-Si) composite anode were investigated; HC and N-Si simply mixed at mass ratios of 9:1 and 8:2 were analyzed. CR2032-type half- and full-cells were assembled to evaluate the electrochemical LIB anode behavior. The galvanostatic measurements of half-cell configurations revealed that the composite anode with an 8:2 HC/N-Si mass ratio exhibited a high capacity (531 mAh g−1) at 0.1 C and superior current-rate dependence (rate performance) at 0.1–10 C. To evaluate the practical LIB anode performance, the optimally performing composite anode was used in the full cell. Prior to full-cell assembly, the composite anodes were prelithiated via electrochemical Li doping at different cutoff anodic specific capacities (200–600 mAh g−1). The composite anode was paired with a LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 cathode to construct full-cells, the performance of which was evaluated by conducting sequential rate and cycling performance tests. Prelithiation affected only the cycling performance, without affecting the rate performance. Excellent capacity retention was observed in the full-cells with prelithiation conducted at cutoff anodic specific capacities greater than or equal to 500 mAh g−1