Methods of manufacturing lithiated silicon oxide-containing negative electrodes including nitrate additives and batteries including the same

A method of manufacturing a battery that cycles lithium ions, the method comprising:

• depositing a precursor mixture on a copper current collector to form a precursor layer, the precursor mixture comprising an electroactive negative electrode material, a polymer binder, a nitrate additive, and an aqueous solvent, the electroactive negative electrode material comprising silicon, silicon oxide, lithiated silicon suboxide, graphite, or a combination thereof, the nitrate additive comprising lithium nitrate (LiNO3), sodium nitrate (NaNO3), potassium nitrate (KNO3), copper nitrate (Cu(NO3)2), or a combination thereof;
• removing the aqueous solvent from the precursor layer to form a negative electrode on the copper current collector;
• and
• assembling the negative electrode and the copper current collector into a stack comprising a positive electrode disposed on a positive electrode current collector and a separator sandwiched between opposed facing surfaces of the negative electrode and the positive electrode, the positive electrode comprising lithium ions.

A battery that cycles lithium ions, the battery comprising:

• a negative electrode comprising electroactive negative electrode material particles, nitrate additive particles, and an electrically conductive carbon-based material intermingled with a polymer binder, the electroactive negative electrode material particles comprising silicon, silicon oxide, lithiated silicon suboxide, graphite, or a combination thereof, the nitrate additive particles comprising lithium nitrate (LiNO3), sodium nitrate (NaNO3), potassium nitrate (KNO3), copper nitrate (Cu(NO3)2), or a combination thereof and constituting, by weight, greater than or equal to about 0.05% and less than or equal to about 0.4% of the negative electrode, the polymer binder comprising styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyacrylic acid (PAA), sodium alginate, or a combination thereof;
• a positive electrode spaced apart from the negative electrode and comprising an electroactive positive electrode material;
• a separator sandwiched between the negative electrode and the positive electrode;
• and
• an electrolyte infiltrating the negative electrode, the positive electrode, and the separator, the electrolyte comprising a lithium salt in a polar aprotic organic solvent,
• wherein the electrolyte and the separator are substantially free of nitrate compounds.