Silicon-Based Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Optimization and Applications

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Background

Silicon (Si) is a cornerstone of the current era of electronic materials and has been applied in various areas including integrated circuits, logical switches, solar cells, and light detectors. Of particular note, Silicon (Si)-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have attracted much attention in the past years, as alloyed Si anodic LIBs endow significantly improved specific capacity (~4200 mA h g-1) compared to commercial intercalated graphite (only 370 mA h g-1). Additionally, the abundance of Si element in the earth’s crust makes it one of the best potential candidates for commercialization. This Research Topic aims to highlight the importance of novel synthetic strategies and applications of Si in high energy secondary batteries.

Currently, the demand for Si nanomaterials of high quality is increasing year by year, but the price is high. This can be mainly ascribed to limitations in developing more efficient synthetic methods because the Si compounds in nature are mainly in the form of silicate, and the breakage of Si-O bonds usually energy-consuming. In addition, taking Si-based LIBs as a typical example, the basic scientific issues associated with the inhibition of volume effects during the charging-discharging process, as well as the improvement of initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of Si@C anodes, should be emphasized. Consequently, it is hoped that we can compile the latest progress in Si materials research, gaining insight into and understanding of Si-based applications in this Research Topic.

We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspective articles, covering recent advances in the design, synthesis, characterization, and optimization of Si nanomaterials, as well as the application of Si in high energy batteries. Areas of interest could include, but are not limited to:

• Design, synthesis, and characterization of Si nanomaterials.
• Exploring the mechanistic insights of Si-based batteries and other devices.
• The applications of Si materials in other areas, such as sensors, solar cells and bio/thermal-therapy.
• Functionalized Si and the combination of Si with other materials to form composites for the aforementioned applications.
• Optimization of application work by experimental and/or computational methods.

We would like to acknowledge Dr Meipin Lin who has acted as a coordinator and has contributed to the preparation of the proposal for this Research Topic.

Keywords: Silicon nanomaterial, Silicon anode, Synthesis, Lithium-ion battery

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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