Max's paper Exploiting nanoscale effects enables ultra-low temperature to produce porous silicon shows the first evidence of reduction of silica at temperatures as low as 380 °C (well below a previously reported cut-off temperature of 500 °C) to produce porous silicon without sacrificing the porosity and yield, thus paving the way for sustainable manufacturing.
Why is your paper important?
Silicon is a promising material for energy storage, however its production is at present unsustainable and energy intensive. The work we have carried out paves the way towards a greener more sustainable bulk process for making silicon for lithium-ion batteries. Our work is important because it changes how we make silicon. High temperatures (>650°C) were traditionally required, but this work presents a simple strategy that allows the same process to be carried out at much lower temperatures (380°C). This work has the potential to make the process cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly.
How did you do this research?
Producing silicon requires a huge amount of energy. Nanoparticles are known to have extraordinary properties due to their incredibly small size. They are very reactive which means they require less energy to react. By taking advantage of their high reactivity, I was able to carry out the reaction at much lower temperatures.
What could be the potential impact?
Silicon has the potential to store up to 10x more energy than the materials currently used in batteries. The demand for this material will grow with the battery industry, and this work shows that it is possible to make silicon quickly in large amounts which will ultimately lead to portable electronic devices with longer battery life, and electric vehicles with greater mileage per charge.
Tell us about yourself.
I completed my MEng in Chemical Engineering at University of Sheffield in 2017. I spent the past 3.5 years in the same department studying silicon anodes for lithium-ion batteries as part of my PhD.