Schematic of MakeSens Carbon Encapsulated Silicon

With a surge in demand for lithium-ion batteries in recent years due to electric vehicle adoption and reliable clean energy generation, the market is seeking higher-performing batteries. Currently, battery performance is limited due to the theoretical specific capacity of traditional graphite anode materials at 372 mAh/g. Silicon is a prominent candidate as an alternative anode material due to its theoretical capacity of 4,200 mAh/g; more than ten times that of graphite. However, although silicon may start with a much larger energy capacity than graphite anodes, it rapidly degrades as silicon expands during charge-discharge cycles, making it unreliable for long-term applications. To commercialize silicon anodes, it is necessary to address the material’s inherent challenges.

MakeSens’ advanced manufacturing technology addresses the challenges with silicon anodes by fabricating a stable, multilayered silicon structure through photoelectromagnetic irradiation. The manufacturing process is simplified to a three-step process of mixing, spray-drying, and energy application, significantly reducing manufacturing emissions while enhancing the performance of lithium-ion batteries.