Silicon-Carbon Battery Advancements
Although batteries were first invented centuries ago, their advancements have not occurred in the same developmental arch as most modern technologies. When the first “wet cell battery” was invented in 1800, it was comprised of brine-soaked cardboard, copper, and zinc, but could not provide a sustained current over extended periods of time [1]. To resolve this, John Daniell began work on copper sulfate and zinc sulfate electrolytes with a functioning prototype completed in 1836. Due to its success and consumer feasibility, the Daniell Cell design entered mass production and was used for over a century in various household electronics.
Over the next 23 years, additional improvements were made leading to the first lead-acid rechargeable battery in 1859 and became a universal standard until the testing of lithium batteries in 1958 [2]. Over this transition, countless other breakthroughs occurred including the invention of the dry-cell battery in 1866 by Georges Leclanché, nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery in 1899 by Waldmar Jungner, alkaline-manganese battery in 1949 by Lew Urry, and solar battery in 1954 by Gerald Pearson, Calvin Fuller, and Daryl Chapin [1]. After a decade of refinement, consumer lithium batteries were available and have since continued to progress with changes to both cathode and anode materials.
Today, lithium batteries can be found in most mobile electronics. While their composition remains rather similar, recent advancements have allowed for dry-cell metal-enclosures and silicon/carbon composite anodes to be both patented as well as manufactured for use in consumer devices.
By replacing standard foil with a metal like aluminum or stainless steel, both thermal dissipation and density are concurrently increased due to material properties. Additionally, current graphite anodes are limited to 372 milliampere-hours per gram as their maximum energy retainment while silicon can retain 4,200 milliampere-hours per gram and charge at a greater wattage [3]. (Despite this, pure silicon does encounter stability issues when subjected to an electrical current but is mitigated by applying a carbon composite coating).
Because of these improvements, manufacturers can drastically reduce the physical size of batteries while retaining similar capacity or keep footprints the same with approximately 11 times more energy (4,200mAh/g / 372mAh/g = 11.3). From invention in 1800 to mass production by 2025, means of energy storage have vastly changed with laptops, tablets, smartphones, headsets, wireless earbuds, electric vehicles, power banks, portable lights, and more not being possible without their existence. As technology continues to push forward, batteries will follow and hopefully aid in establishing a nation powered by clean energy.
[1] M. Bellis. “History and Timeline of the Battery.” https://www.thoughtco.com/battery-timeline-1991340 (accessed January 19, 2025).
[2] M. Reddy, A. Mauger, C. Julien, A. Paolella, and K. Zaghib. “Brief History of Early Lithium-Battery Development” https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7215417/ (accessed January 19, 2025).
[3] L. Yang, et al. “Multi-scale design of silicon/carbon composite anode materials for lithium-ion batteries: A review.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2095495624003747 (accessed January 19, 2025).
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