Special report on China silicon based anode material industry
Table of Contents
With the innovation of power battery technology, traditional battery materials are gradually unable to meet the needs of battery cost reduction and energy density improvement, and the application of new materials such as silicon based anode is accelerating.
From the perspective of specific capacity, the theoretical value of silicon based anode materials can reach up to 4200mAh/g, which is more than 10 times that of graphite materials. The rising demand for power batteries, especially 4680 cylindrical batteries, has gradually opened up the market space for silicon based anode.
Definition of silicon based anode material
The raw material of the silicon based anode is mainly composed of silicon material and graphite. Silicon is alloyed with lithium at room temperature, and its theoretical specific capacity is as high as 4200mAh/g, which is more than ten times that of current graphite-based anode materials. There are many preparation methods for silicon based anode materials, currently, mainly including chemical vapor deposition method, mechanical ball milling method, sol-gel method, high temperature pyrolysis method and so on.
Main production process of silicon based anode materials
Preparation method
Advantages
Disadvantages
Chemical vapor deposition method
It has excellent cycle stability, high initial charge and discharge efficiency, simple equipment requirements, and is suitable for industrial production.
The total specific capacity is relatively low, and the cost is high.
Mechanical ball milling method
Small particle size, uniform distribution; simple process, low cost.
High energy efficiency, low efficiency, serious reunion phenomenon.
Sol-gel method
Good dispersion performance; high reversible specific capacity, good cycle performance.
Compared with other carbon materials, the stability performance is poorer, and the carbon shell will generate cracks and gradually expand during the cycle, resulting in the breakdown of the structure of the anode material. And if the oxygen content in the gel is too high, more non-conductive SiO2 will be generated, resulting in a low initial charge and discharge efficiency of the anode material.
High temperature pyrolysis method
The process is simple and easy to industrialize, and the void structure is large, which can better alleviate the volume change of silicon during charging and discharging.
Silicon dispersion performance is poor; carbon layer is easy to distribute unevenly; easy to reunite.
Silicon carbon and silicon oxygen are future mainstream technologies
There are three technical paths for silicon-based anodes: silicon oxygen anodes, silicon carbon anodes, and silicon based alloy anodes. Among them, silicon carbon anode and silicon oxygen anode may be the mainstream technologies in the future. The silicon carbon anode is made of nano-silicon mixed with graphite material, and the silicon oxygen anode is made of silicon oxide and graphite material. The silicon based material acts as the active material in the composite to provide capacity, and other materials act as carriers to buffer the volume expansion.
The silicon based anode material adopts a coating structure, and the outermost layer is coated with carbon. The coating of carbon material can improve the conductivity of the anode material, and will form an SEI film on the surface of the carbon material, which can inhibit the erosion of the anode by the electrolyte, thereby improving its cycle performance.
Advantages
Disadvantages
SiO anode material
● High reverse capacity, up to 1700-1800mAh/g, close to the theoretical capacity.
● The cycle performance and rate performance are better than other silicon based anode materials.
● The first-time efficiency is low, it cannot be used alone, and it needs to be treated to improve the first-efficiency.
● The SiO process is complicated and the production cost is very high.
Silicon carbon composite anode material
● High gram capacity.
● The first charging efficiency is high.
● The process is mature compared to other silicon-based anode materials.
● It is difficult to mass-produce products with excellent electrochemical properties
● Cycle performance and initial efficiency need to be improved
● High electrode expansion rate
Silicon based alloy anode material
High volumetric energy density
● The process is difficult and costly.
● Low charging efficiency for the first time.
● Poor cycle performance.
Silicon oxygen has better cycle performance and rate performance, and is the first to be used in the field of power batteries. Silicon carbon anode have higher gram capacity and first efficiency, and are mainly used in consumer electronics and power tools. At present, the silicon anode is in the product iteration period. Among them, silicon carbon is mainly used to improve cycle performance and capacity, and silicon oxygen anode is mainly used to improve the first effect, and the realization paths of the two are different.
Development status of silicon based anode material industry
● Shipments
In recent years, China’s silicon based anode materials are constantly developing, and the silicon based anode market is experiencing rapid growth, and shipments are expected to increase significantly. In 2021, the shipment of silicon based anode materials will reach 11,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 83%, accounting for 1.5% of the shipment of anode materials. With the mass production of Tesla 4680 batteries and the popularization and application of large cylindrical batteries, it will continue to grow in the future and is expected to reach 15,000 tons in 2022.
● Penetration rate
Silicon based anode can effectively increase the specific capacity of batteries, but their commercial applications are restricted due to the negative effects of volume expansion and poor conductivity. At present, silicon based anode materials are still in the early stage of commercial application, and the penetration rate in 2021 is only 1.53%. With the continuous development of technology in the future, the penetration rate will increase.
● Market space
With the continuous development of consumer batteries and power batteries, the market space for silicon based anode materials will also continue to grow. The global silicon based anode materials are mainly composed of three parts:
● With the mass production of Tesla 4680 large cylinders in 2022, the silicon based anode market will usher in explosive growth. It is estimated that the silicon based anode market space driven by Tesla 4680 will reach 18.37 billion RMB in 2025;
● It is expected that after 2023, silicon based anodes will be gradually applied in power battery markets other than Tesla, and the market space for silicon based anodes for power use other than Tesla will reach 6.77 billion RMB in 2025;
● The traditional silicon based anode for consumption will maintain steady development, and the penetration rate will increase year by year. It is estimated that the market space for silicon based anode for consumption will reach 4.61 billion RMB in 2025. It is estimated that the overall market space for silicon based anode materials in the world will reach 29.75 billion RMB in 2025.
Development prospect of silicon based anode material industry
● New energy vehicles drive the development of the industry
The penetration rate of new energy vehicles has increased, and the global sales of electric vehicles have expanded, corresponding to the increase in demand from downstream customers. The companies have accelerated the deployment of production capacity, improved the utilization rate of comprehensive production capacity, and achieved economies of scale.
The sales volume and sales of the company’s lithium-ion battery materials have increased significantly year-on-year. At present, lithium ion battery anode materials can be divided into artificial graphite, natural graphite, and some new materials, such as silicon carbon, mesocarbon microspheres, lithium titanate, etc.
As an ideal next-generation anode material, the specific capacity of silicon based anode materials is significantly greater than other anode materials, which can meet the downstream demand for high energy density. In addition, with the mass production of 4680 large cylindrical batteries and the follow-up of mainstream battery factories, it is expected that silicon based anode will soon usher in an explosion.
● Carbon neutral strategy is good for industry development
In the context of carbon neutrality and high oil prices, silicon based materials are expected to replace some carbon-based materials due to their good performance. Promote the transformation and upgrading from the “carbon-based era” represented by fossil energy to the “silicon-based era” represented by new energy and new materials.
The advantages of silicon based anode are obvious, there is no hidden danger of lithium precipitation, the safety is better than graphite-based anode materials, and the reserves are abundant and the cost is low. It can provide channels for lithium ion intercalation and extraction from all directions, and has excellent fast charging performance. It is the most potential next-generation lithium battery anode material.
● Companies follow up the layout to open up the market
On the battery side, in the future, with the mass production of 4680 large cylindrical batteries, Chinese companies will be driven to follow up the layout, and the continued prosperity of the downstream of lithium batteries will open up the market space for silicon based anode.
Special report on China silicon based anode material industry
With the innovation of power battery technology, traditional battery materials are gradually unable to meet the needs of battery cost reduction and energy density improvement, and the application of new materials such as silicon based anode is accelerating.
From the perspective of specific capacity, the theoretical value of silicon based anode materials can reach up to 4200mAh/g, which is more than 10 times that of graphite materials. The rising demand for power batteries, especially 4680 cylindrical batteries, has gradually opened up the market space for silicon based anode.
Definition of silicon based anode material
The raw material of the silicon based anode is mainly composed of silicon material and graphite. Silicon is alloyed with lithium at room temperature, and its theoretical specific capacity is as high as 4200mAh/g, which is more than ten times that of current graphite-based anode materials. There are many preparation methods for silicon based anode materials, currently, mainly including chemical vapor deposition method, mechanical ball milling method, sol-gel method, high temperature pyrolysis method and so on.
Main production process of silicon based anode materials
Silicon carbon and silicon oxygen are future mainstream technologies
There are three technical paths for silicon-based anodes: silicon oxygen anodes, silicon carbon anodes, and silicon based alloy anodes. Among them, silicon carbon anode and silicon oxygen anode may be the mainstream technologies in the future. The silicon carbon anode is made of nano-silicon mixed with graphite material, and the silicon oxygen anode is made of silicon oxide and graphite material. The silicon based material acts as the active material in the composite to provide capacity, and other materials act as carriers to buffer the volume expansion.
The silicon based anode material adopts a coating structure, and the outermost layer is coated with carbon. The coating of carbon material can improve the conductivity of the anode material, and will form an SEI film on the surface of the carbon material, which can inhibit the erosion of the anode by the electrolyte, thereby improving its cycle performance.
● High reverse capacity, up to 1700-1800mAh/g, close to the theoretical capacity.
● The cycle performance and rate performance are better than other silicon based anode materials.
● The first-time efficiency is low, it cannot be used alone, and it needs to be treated to improve the first-efficiency.
● The SiO process is complicated and the production cost is very high.
● High gram capacity.
● The first charging efficiency is high.
● The process is mature compared to other silicon-based anode materials.
● It is difficult to mass-produce products with excellent electrochemical properties
● Cycle performance and initial efficiency need to be improved
● High electrode expansion rate
● The process is difficult and costly.
● Low charging efficiency for the first time.
● Poor cycle performance.
Silicon oxygen has better cycle performance and rate performance, and is the first to be used in the field of power batteries. Silicon carbon anode have higher gram capacity and first efficiency, and are mainly used in consumer electronics and power tools. At present, the silicon anode is in the product iteration period. Among them, silicon carbon is mainly used to improve cycle performance and capacity, and silicon oxygen anode is mainly used to improve the first effect, and the realization paths of the two are different.
Development status of silicon based anode material industry
● Shipments
In recent years, China’s silicon based anode materials are constantly developing, and the silicon based anode market is experiencing rapid growth, and shipments are expected to increase significantly. In 2021, the shipment of silicon based anode materials will reach 11,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 83%, accounting for 1.5% of the shipment of anode materials. With the mass production of Tesla 4680 batteries and the popularization and application of large cylindrical batteries, it will continue to grow in the future and is expected to reach 15,000 tons in 2022.
● Penetration rate
Silicon based anode can effectively increase the specific capacity of batteries, but their commercial applications are restricted due to the negative effects of volume expansion and poor conductivity. At present, silicon based anode materials are still in the early stage of commercial application, and the penetration rate in 2021 is only 1.53%. With the continuous development of technology in the future, the penetration rate will increase.
● Market space
With the continuous development of consumer batteries and power batteries, the market space for silicon based anode materials will also continue to grow. The global silicon based anode materials are mainly composed of three parts:
● With the mass production of Tesla 4680 large cylinders in 2022, the silicon based anode market will usher in explosive growth. It is estimated that the silicon based anode market space driven by Tesla 4680 will reach 18.37 billion RMB in 2025;
● It is expected that after 2023, silicon based anodes will be gradually applied in power battery markets other than Tesla, and the market space for silicon based anodes for power use other than Tesla will reach 6.77 billion RMB in 2025;
● The traditional silicon based anode for consumption will maintain steady development, and the penetration rate will increase year by year. It is estimated that the market space for silicon based anode for consumption will reach 4.61 billion RMB in 2025. It is estimated that the overall market space for silicon based anode materials in the world will reach 29.75 billion RMB in 2025.
Development prospect of silicon based anode material industry
● New energy vehicles drive the development of the industry
The penetration rate of new energy vehicles has increased, and the global sales of electric vehicles have expanded, corresponding to the increase in demand from downstream customers. The companies have accelerated the deployment of production capacity, improved the utilization rate of comprehensive production capacity, and achieved economies of scale.
The sales volume and sales of the company’s lithium-ion battery materials have increased significantly year-on-year. At present, lithium ion battery anode materials can be divided into artificial graphite, natural graphite, and some new materials, such as silicon carbon, mesocarbon microspheres, lithium titanate, etc.
As an ideal next-generation anode material, the specific capacity of silicon based anode materials is significantly greater than other anode materials, which can meet the downstream demand for high energy density. In addition, with the mass production of 4680 large cylindrical batteries and the follow-up of mainstream battery factories, it is expected that silicon based anode will soon usher in an explosion.
● Carbon neutral strategy is good for industry development
In the context of carbon neutrality and high oil prices, silicon based materials are expected to replace some carbon-based materials due to their good performance. Promote the transformation and upgrading from the “carbon-based era” represented by fossil energy to the “silicon-based era” represented by new energy and new materials.
The advantages of silicon based anode are obvious, there is no hidden danger of lithium precipitation, the safety is better than graphite-based anode materials, and the reserves are abundant and the cost is low. It can provide channels for lithium ion intercalation and extraction from all directions, and has excellent fast charging performance. It is the most potential next-generation lithium battery anode material.
● Companies follow up the layout to open up the market
On the battery side, in the future, with the mass production of 4680 large cylindrical batteries, Chinese companies will be driven to follow up the layout, and the continued prosperity of the downstream of lithium batteries will open up the market space for silicon based anode.
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