Application of a xanthan gum/polyacrylamide crosslinked binder in silicon-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Silicon-based anodes, which are used in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), have a higher energy density than graphite anodes, making them one of the most promising alternative materials. This study introduces a flexible polyacrylamide (PAM) water-based three-dimensional network binder (M a X b ) for stabilizing silicon-based anodes (silicon-carbon composite materials, Si/C), based on the double helix structure of xanthan gum (XG). The chemical bonds formed by the cross-linking of carboxyl groups in XG with amide groups in PAM, as well as the hydrogen bond interactions, enhance the adhesive strength between the materials. By constructing XG cross-linked binders with different rigid-to-flexible ratios, the electrochemical performance of silicon-based anodes is improved. Among these, the M6X1-5 binder demonstrates a high lithium-ion diffusion coefficient average 1.80 × 10 −9  cm 2  s −1 and favorable cycling performance after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g −1 , with a reversible capacity of 481 mAh g −1 and a capacity retention rate of 81 %. Furthermore, its cost-effectiveness and environmentally friendly characteristics make it a promising candidate for application in high-capacity LIBs.