Chemical pre-lithiation of LiMnO balances the low first cycle efficiency of silicon anodes

Chemical pre-lithiation is carried out using lithium naphthalene to incorporate excess lithium into lithium manganese spinel (LiMn 2 O 4 ). Pre-lithiated LiMn 2 O 4 powder is collected and processed under ambient air conditions, demonstrating its seamless integration into current lithium-ion manufacturing. Precise control of the lithiation content in LiMn 2 O 4 allows tuning of the first cycle efficiency, and when demonstrated in a full-cell configuration comprising a silicon anode, can achieve a projected specific energy of ∼216 W h kg −1 . Prelithiation of LiMn 2 O 4 balances the low first cycle efficiency of silicon anodes for improvements in energy density and prospective cell chemistry enabled by naturally abundant elements.