Highly conductive Ag-SiNx composite thin film anode engineering for transparent battery

Silicon nitride-based electrodes (SiNx), have been proposed as promising candidates for high-capacity transparent anode electrodes in earlier studies. Unfortunately, they have low electrical conductivity, resulting in some disadvantages such as power density for application in thin film batteries. To improve electrical conductivity, bulk batteries use conductive carbon additives, which also impair transmittance. Thus, we conducted this research to enhance the electrochemical properties by improving the conductivity without compromising the transmittance by uniformly dispersed Ag nanoparticles in SiNx thin film. We obtained an Ag-SiNx composite thin-film anode via continuous composition spread sputtering and investigated the effect of the Ag concentration. The capacity of the thin-film battery raised to 242.8 μAh/cm2·μm with Ag0.236SiO0.7N anode compared to the SiO0.7N anode which had a capacity of 37.2 μAh/cm2·μm. In addition, while SiO0.7N was operated only up to 2 C, Ag0.236SiO0.7N has driven up to 5 C and 10 C, which are high C rates, was also possible. AgxSiO0.7N thin film with less than 0.236 mol content demonstrates an optical transmittance of over 60% in the visible area. These results indicate that improving the electrical conductivity by the addition of an Ag during the silicon nitride deposition can increase its electrochemical performance while maintaining its applicability to transparent batteries. [Display omitted] •The electrical conductivity of SiNx thin film anode is enhanced by Ag addition.•Thin film battery with Ag-SiNx anode has increased capacity and rate performance.•AgxSiO0.7N thin films showed a transmittance of over 60% in all composition checked.