Stress Bearing Mechanism of Reduced Graphene Oxide in Silicon-Based Composite Anodes for Lithium Ion Batteries.

Despite the significant research that has been carried out to improve cycling performance of lithium ion batteries (LIB) with silicon (Si) based composite electrodes, limited studies have been performed on these materials to evaluate the effects of internal microstructural changes and stress evolution on the electrochemical performance. Here, combined ex situ and in situ investigations on the accommodation of volume expansion in Si-based nanocomposite electrodes are reported. This work emphasizes the importance of conductive agents in light of the poor electronic conductivity of Si.