From the Nokia 3310 to the most recent iPhone 16 Pro, our smartphones have always come with lithium-ion batteries. Because of how reliable the technology has gotten, lithium-ion batteries have been the standard for years and power the majority of our electronic devices.
But silicon carbon batteries are a new child on the block these days. Theoretically and in the real-world applications we have observed thus far, these batteries enable greater battery capacity. It’s interesting to note that they are not physically bigger than lithium-ion batteries, which allows phones to be equipped with larger capacity batteries while still being lighter, thinner, and less cumbersome.
The definition of silicon carbon batteries and their distinctions from lithium-ion batteries are covered here.
Silicon Carbon Batteries: Explained
To begin with, silicon carbon batteries and lithium-ion batteries are very different. First off, unlike lithium-ion batteries, which employ graphite anodes, they use silicon anodes. Compared to graphite, silicon can hold more charge because it is denser.
What components go into making silicon carbon batteries may be a mystery to you. They are basically made of carbon and silicon. Compared to lithium-ion batteries, these batteries can store more energy in the same volume since silicon is known to hold lithium ions more effectively than graphite. As a result, even though the gadgets have larger batteries, they are slimmer.
However, there are drawbacks to silicon carbon batteries as well. According to some sources, these batteries may deteriorate more quickly than their lithium-ion equivalents and may bloat or grow.
Advantages of Silicon Carbon Batteries
Silicon carbon batteries have a number of benefits. First of all, compared to lithium-ion batteries, they are more ecologically friendly. They have a smaller carbon footprint and make disposing of e-waste easier.
Without a doubt, the most noteworthy advantage of silicon carbon batteries is their small size. In light of this, a number of future phones are anticipated to have incredibly thin designs. For example, the tiny profile of the Galaxy S25 Edge and the iPhone 17 Slim or Air has previously been verified. It is anticipated that both manufacturers will use silicon carbon batteries in order to accommodate huge batteries into these small chassis.
Furthermore, other phones are also utilizing this technology. Some already have silicon carbon batteries, in fact.
Phones Already Shipping With Silicon Carbon Batteries
For instance, the Vivo Find X8 Ultra has a 6,100mAh silicon carbon battery, which enables it to have a huge capacity while yet maintaining a thin design. Likewise, the enormous 7,300mAh silicon carbon battery powers the iQOO Z10. According to reports, this is a third-generation silicon carbon battery. The phone weighs only 199 grams, which is significantly less than some flagship phones with smaller batteries but higher-end components.
Another example is the Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus, which uses silicon carbon cells to maintain a huge battery while keeping a thin form factor.