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ICMAB Research

Time-resolved analysis of extensive silicon amorphization in SiGr anodes for Li-Ion batteries via operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction
08 May 2026

A new paper has been published in the Journal of Energy Storage:

Silicon–graphite (SiGr) blended negative electrodes have reached the Li-ion battery (LIB) market and outperform pure graphite in specific capacity. However, commercial implementations still rely on low Si contents, whereas industry targets aprox. 30 wt% Si and higher, where accelerated degradation and complex Si–Gr coupling limit the usable Si fraction and hinder the transition to Si-rich electrodes. This study resolves the dynamic interplay between Si and Gr (de)lithiation reactions in a 30:70 Si:Gr blended electrode over the first five cycles by combining operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction with TEM observations. Crystalline silicon (c-Si) undergoes aprox. 95% amorphization in the first cycle, leaving minor crystalline remnants in core–shell domains. A broad first-cycle reduction feature in the voltage–capacity profile at 0.35–0.70 V vs Li/Li+ accompanies this structural transition and the substantial irreversible capacity loss. From the second cycle onward, Gr lithiation degree (x in Image 1001 ) declines from 0.84 to 0.33, evidencing a shifting in Si–Gr utilization balance. A benchmark under identical conditions against a partially amorphized Si-rich electrode retaining aprox. 25 % c-Si after cycling and exhibiting a more stable Gr lithiation degree demonstrates that the extent of early Si amorphization governs both the Si–Gr balance and overall electrode behavior. By quantitatively tracking amorphization with high temporal resolution and comparing extensive versus partial transformation pathways, this work establishes a time-resolved structural framework for Si-rich blended anodes, underscoring early-cycle amorphization control as a practical design lever.

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Time-resolved analysis of extensive silicon amorphization in SiGr anodes for Li-Ion batteries via operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction


Alonso-Sanchez, Pedro; Hua, Weicheng; Thangaian, Kesavan; Vullum, Per Erik; Chernyshov, Dmitry; Fuller, Chloe A.; Vullum-Bruer, Fride; Campo, Javier; Blanco, Maria Valeria; Cova, Federico

Journal of Energy Storage 159 (2026) 121832
DOI: 10.1016/j.est.2026.121832