Perspective—Structure and Stability of the Solid Electrolyte Interphase on Silicon Anodes of Lithium-ion Batteries

The solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) acts as a protection layer on the surface the anodes of lithium ion batteries to prevent further electrolyte decomposition. Understanding the fundamental properties of the SEI is essential to the development of high capacity silicon anodes. However, the detailed mechanism of the generation of the evolution of the SEI on the silicon anodes is not fully understood. This manuscript reviews our recent investigations of the SEI on silicon anodes. We have studied the fundamental formation mechanism of the SEI on silicon anodes, along with the evolution which occurs to the SEI upon cycling.