A study of Li-ion diffusion kinetics in the fullerene-coated Si anodes of lithium ion batteries

The diffusion coefficient of lithium ions in fullerene-coated silicon thin film electrodes, prepared by the plasma-assisted deposition technique, was estimated by a specific electrochemical measurement known as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and then compared with that of a bare silicon film used as the anode in lithium ion batteries. Based on our experimental range, the diffusion coefficient of the fullerene-coated Si thin film was found to be similar to 10(-9) cm(2) s(-1) or two orders of magnitude higher than that of the bare Si thin film (similar to 10(11) cm(2) s(-1)). It can be concluded that the fullerene film acts as an artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer during charging-discharging tests.