Nanoscale phase stability in Li ion battery anode materials

A thermodynamic model was developed in particular for nanocrystalline partially ionic solids, which represent a group of Li ion battery anode materials. The lithium compounds were used as examples to demonstrate the model applications in studies of phase stability and phase transformation behavior in the nanoscale anode system. The peritectic and eutectic transformations were described systematically concerning the reaction temperatures and liquid concentrations at various equilibria, in which the grain size effects on the equilibrium, stability and transformation of Li-containing phases were quantified. To verify the model predictions, a series of experiments were performed using the nanocrystalline Li–Si system as sample materials. The experimental finding confirmed the model calculations, based on which the correlation of phase stability, temperature, grain size and critical grain size was proposed.