Systems and methods for potassium enhancing silicon-containing anodes for improved cyclability

A method for enhancing a silicon-containing anode for a battery cell, the method comprising:

• providing a silicon-containing anode having reversible electrochemical capabilities comprising a silicon-containing material and an anode material compatible with a lithium-ion battery chemistry having porous and conductive mechanical properties;
• enriching a surface layer of the silicon-containing anode with a plurality of first ions to intersperse the plurality of first ions between silicon atoms of the silicon-containing material;
• and
• displacing the plurality of first ions with a plurality of second ions to form a compression layer in the silicon-containing anode, wherein the plurality of second ions:
• have a size that is larger than the size of the plurality of first ions;
• and
• places the silicon atoms of the silicon-containing material in a pre-compressive state to counteract internal stress exerted on the silicon-containing material.

An enhanced silicon-containing anode for a battery cell, the anode comprising:

• an anode material having reversible electrochemical capabilities;
• a silicon-containing material comprising silicon particles;
• and
• a compression layer comprising a plurality of ions interspersed between the silicon particles in a surface layer of the silicon-containing material, wherein:
• the plurality of ions in the compression layer have a size that exerts compressive forces on the silicon particles and places the silicon-containing material in a pre-compressive state;
• and
• the surface layer has a thickness within a range from 1 nm to 750 nm.