5 at%-vanadium hybriding enables silicon anode with high initial coulombic efficiency and low internal stress

Unsatisfied initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and structure collapse are two problems still hindering the practical applications of silicon anodes. Hybriding Si with other metallic components can effectively improve the structural stability but is still not suitable to achieve high ICE. A high proportion of hybrid metallic components (usually > 10 at%) is essential for desired structural stability, yet it severely impairs the reversibility of lithiation and delithiation.

A team of material scientists led by Zhongqiu Tong co-affiliated by Kunming University of Science and Technology (China) and City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong) proposed a low-level metal hybriding strategy to stabilize Si film anodes. A 5 at%-vanadium hybriding enables Si film anode to deliver a high ICE of 92.1% with a discharge capacity of 2434.9 mAh g^-1 and a desirable capacity retention of 80% after 100 cycles at 1 A g^-1. The Li_xPO_yF_z-rich inorganic SEI and the relaxed mechanical strength in both as-prepared and cycled film (14.3 and 7.4 GPa) are two main factors leading to the reversible and stable lithiation/de-lithiation behaviors and the high Li storage properties. Furthermore, the high energy/powder densities and desirable cycling stability of the full cell with LiFePO₄ anode further confirm the application potential of prepared film anode. The proposed hybriding strategy could pave the way for fabricating high-performance Si anodes for Li-ion batteries.

The team published their paper in Nano Research on Jan. 29, 2026.

“Combined with the facile and even deposition process of magnetron sputtering, the high ICE, high structural stability and desirable capacity, the prepared film electrodes are suitable to fabricate solid-state micro batteries via layer-by-layer deposition. That is our following research target.” said Zhongqiu Tong.

Other contributors include Jiangpeng Shang, Siqi Ma, Longtao Zhang, Jie Yu, Shaoyuan Li, Wenhui Ma and Fengshuo Xi from Kunming University of Science and Technology.

This work was supported by the NSFC (22469010, U24A2063), Yunnan Province Natural Science Fund (202501AT070331, 202301AT070151), and Yunnan Xingdian Young Talent Project (KKXX202452039).

DOI Link:

https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2025.94908310

About Nano Research

Nano Research is a peer-reviewed, open access, international and interdisciplinary research journal, sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Chemical Society, published by Tsinghua University Press on the platform SciOpen. It publishes original high-quality research and significant review articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, ranging from basic aspects of the science of nanoscale materials to practical applications of such materials. After 18 years of development, it has become one of the most influential academic journals in the nano field. Nano Research has published more than 1,000 papers every year from 2022, with its cumulative count surpassing 8,000 articles. In 2025 InCites Journal Citation Reports, its 2025 IF is 9.4 (8.3, 5 years), and it continues to be the Q1 area among the four subject classifications. Nano Research Award, established by Nano Research together with TUP and Springer Nature in 2013, and Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) Awards, established by Nano Research in 2018, have become international academic awards with global influence.