Well-constructed silicon-based materials as high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes

Plasma Surface Treatment of Cu Current Collectors for Improving the Electrochemical Performance of Si Anodes

The practical utilization of Si electrodes is hindered by their substantial volume expansion during alloying and dealloying processes, which causes mechanical damage and separation from Cu current collectors. To alleviate the problem of Si composite detachment from Cu current collectors, the surface of the Cu current collectors is modified using atmospheric oxygen plasma. Plasma treatment improves the wetting ability of the Cu current collectors and, consequently, the coating quality of the Si electrodes. The uniform distribution of the Si electrode components reduces the sheet resistance and improves the adhesion properties of the Si electrodes containing surface-modified Cu current collectors. As a result, the volume expansion of Si during alloying and dealloying is reduced; this results in an excellent rate capability of 1584 mA h g-1 at a current density of 3.6 A g-1 (135% that of bare Cu) and excellent cycle performance of 1545 mA h g-1 after 300 cycles (Si electrodes with bare Cu exhibit 930 mA h g-1). Therefore, the developed plasma treatment method for Cu current collectors is expected to be an economical and efficient approach for improving the Li-ion battery performance.

Robust dual-cross-linked networks enable stable silicon anodes

The simultaneous attainment of long cycle life and high energy in Si anodes remains challenging. Herein, we introduce the concept of primary building units as organizing units to construct durable and conductive electrode architectures, which helps to facilitate the coalescence of Si nanoparticles with conductive pathways and prevent nanoparticle aggregation.

Encapsulation of Silicon Nano Powders via Electrospinning as Lithium Ion Battery Anode Materials

Silicon-containing polyester from tetramethoxysilane, ethylene glycol, and o-Phthalic anhydride were used as encapsulating materials for silicon nano powders (SiNP) via electrospinning, with Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as spinning additives. In the correct quantities, SiNP could be well encapsulated in nano fibers (200-400 nm) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The encapsulating materials were then carbonized to a Si-O-C material at 755 °C (Si@C-SiNF-5 and Si@C-SiNF-10, with different SiNP content). Fiber structure and SiNP crystalline structure were reserved even after high-temperature treatment, as SEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD) verified. When used as lithium ion battery (LIB) anode materials, the cycling stability of SiNPs increased after encapsulation. The capacity of SiNPs decreased to ~10 mAh/g within 30 cycles, while those from Si@C-SiNF-5 and Si@C-SiNF-10 remained over 500 mAh/g at the 30th cycle. We also found that adequate SiNP content is necessary for good encapsulation and better cycling stability. In the anode from Si@C-SiNF-10 in which SiNPs were not well encapsulated, fibers were broken and pulverized as SEM confirmed; thus, its cycling stability is poorer than that from Si@C-SiNF-5.

A porous silicon anode prepared by dealloying a Sr-modified Al–Si eutectic alloy for lithium ion batteries

Silicon has been considered to be one of the most promising anode materials for next generation lithium ion batteries due to its high theoretical specific capacity. However, its huge volume expansion during the lithiation/delithiation process that can result in rapid capacity fading and low conductivity present significant challenges for application. In this study, the morphology of Si in an Al–Si eutectic alloy was modified by Sr, and porous Si was then produced by dealloying the precursor. Profiting from the unique structure, the Si anode exhibits an excellent reversible capacity of 405 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹ after 100 cycles and a fantastic first cycle coulombic efficiency of 83.74%. Furthermore, the porous silicon modified by Sr delivers a stable capacity of 594.8 mA h g⁻¹ even at a high current density of 2 A g⁻¹ after 50 cycles, suggesting a good rate capability.

With a porous coralloid structure, the silicon anode prepared by dealloying the Sr-modified Al–Si eutectic alloy exhibits excellent cycle and rate performances.

Research Progress on Coating Structure of Silicon Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Silicon, which has been widely studied by virtue of its extremely high theoretical capacity and abundance, is recognized as one of the most promising anode materials for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries. However, silicon undergoes tremendous volume change during cycling, which leads to the destruction of the electrode structure and irreversible capacity loss, so the promotion of silicon materials in commercial applications is greatly hampered. In recent years, many strategies have been proposed to address these shortcomings of silicon. This Review focused on different coatings materials (e. g., carbon-based materials, metals, oxides, conducting polymers, etc.) for silicon materials. The role of different types of materials in the modification of silicon-based material encapsulation structure was reviewed to confirm the feasibility of the protective layer strategy. Finally, the future research direction of the silicon-based material coating structure design for the next-generation lithium-ion battery was summarized.

3D printed silicon-few layer graphene anode for advanced Li-ion batteries

The printing of three-dimensional (3D) porous electrodes for Li-ion batteries is considered a key driver for the design and realization of advanced energy storage systems. While different 3D printing techniques offer great potential to design and develop 3D architectures, several factors need to be addressed to print 3D electrodes, maintaining an optimal trade-off between electrochemical and mechanical performances. Herein, we report the first demonstration of 3D printed Si-based electrodes fabricated using a simple and cost-effective fused deposition modelling (FDM) method, and implemented as anodes in Li-ion batteries. To fulfil the printability requirement while maximizing the electrochemical performance, the composition of the FDM filament has been engineered using polylactic acid as the host polymeric matrix, a mixture of carbon black-doped polypyrrole and wet-jet milling exfoliated few-layer graphene flakes as conductive additives, and Si nanoparticles as the active material. The creation of a continuous conductive network and the control of the structural properties at the nanoscale enabled the design and realization of flexible 3D printed anodes, reaching a specific capacity up to ∼345 mA h g⁻¹ at the current density of 20 mA g⁻¹, together with a capacity retention of 96% after 350 cycles. The obtained results are promising for the fabrication of flexible polymeric-based 3D energy storage devices to meet the challenges ahead for the design of next-generation electronic devices.

Novel 3D printed anodes based on Si and wet-jet milling-exfoliated few-layer graphene are produced by fused diffusion modelling (FDM) technique and used in Li-ion batteries.

Enhanced luminescence/photodetecting bifunctional devices based on ZnO:Ga microwire/p-Si heterojunction by incorporating Ag nanowires

With the disadvantages of indirect band gap, low carrier mobility, and large lattice mismatch with other semiconductor materials, one of the current challenges in Si-based materials and structures is to prepare low-dimensional high-performance optoelectronic devices. In this work, an individual ZnO microwire via Ga-incorproration (ZnO:Ga MW) was employed to prepare a light-emitting/detecting bifunctional heterojunction structure, combined with p-type Si crystal wafer as a hole transporting layer. In a forward-bias regime, red luminescence peaking at around 680 nm was captured. While, the fabricated heterojunction device also exhibited an obvious photoresponse in the ultraviolet wavelengths. Interestingly, the introduction of Ag nanowires (AgNWs) are utilized to increase light output with amplitude 4 times higher than with that of naked wire-based LEDs. Similarly, the performance parameters of the fabricated n-AgNWs@ZnO:Ga MW/p-Si heterojunction photodetector are significantly enhanced, containing a responsivity of 5.52 A W^-1, detectivity of 2.34 × 10¹² Jones, external quantum efficiency of 1.9 × 10³% illuminated under 370 nm at -1 V. We compare this work with previous reported photodetectors based on various ZnO/Si-based materials and structures, some performance parameters are not superior, but our constructed n-AgNWs@ZnO:Ga MW/p-Si heterojunction photodetector has comparable overall characteristics, and our findings stand out especially for providing an inexpensive and suitable pathway for developing low-cost, miniaturized and integrated ultraviolet photodetectors. The demonstration of AgNWs enhanced low-dimensional light-emitting/detecting bifunctional photodiodes can offer a promising scheme to construct high-performance Si-based optoelectronic devices.

Preparation and Characterization of Core-Shell Structure Hard Carbon/Si-Carbon Composites with Multiple Shell Structures as Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Novel core-shell structure hard carbon/Si-carbon composites are prepared, and their electrochemical performances as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries are reported. Three different types of shell coating are applied using Si-carbon, Si-carbon black-carbon and Si-carbon black-carbon/graphite nanosheets. It appears that the use of n-Si/carbon black/carbon composite particles in place of n-Si for the shell coating is of great importance to achieve enhanced electrochemical performances from the core-shell composite samples, and additional wrapping with graphite nanosheets leads to a more stable cycle performance of the core-shell composites.

Characterization of lithium zinc titanate doped with metal ions as anode materials for lithium ion batteries

With the aim of improving the ionic and electronic conductivities of Li₂ZnTi₃O₈ for high performance lithium ion battery applications, Li₂Zn_0.9M_0.1Ti₃O₈ (M = Li⁺, Cu²⁺, Al³⁺, Ti⁴⁺, Nb⁵⁺, Mo⁶⁺) compounds are successfully fabricated using facile high temperature calcination at 800 °C. Physical characterization and lithium ion reversible storage demonstrate that Zn-site substitution by multivalent metal ions is beneficial for improving the migration rate of ions and electrons of Li₂ZnTi₃O₈. X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy reveal that the crystal structure and microscopic morphology of bare Li₂ZnTi₃O₈ do not change by introducing a small amount of foreign metal ions. As a result, Li₂Zn_0.9Nb_0.1Ti₃O₈ retains a reversible capacity as high as 198 mA h g^-1 at the end of the 500th cycle among all samples. Even when cycled at high temperatures, Li₂Zn_0.9Nb_0.1Ti₃O₈ still maintains excellent reversible discharge capacities of 210 mA h g^-1 and 196 mA h g^-1 at 1000 mA g^-1 for the 100th cycle at 50 °C and 60 °C, respectively. All the conclusions indicate that Li₂Zn_0.9Nb_0.1Ti₃O₈ is a high-performance anode material for large-scale energy storage devices.

When Silicon Materials Meet Natural Sources: Opportunities and Challenges for Low-Cost Lithium Storage

The manipulation of progressive lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with high energy density, low cost, and long-term cycling stability is of high priority to meet the growing demands for next-generation energy storage devices. Silicon (Si) has been receiving marvelous attention as a promising anode material for rechargeable LIBs, due to its high theoretical gravimetric capacity and low cost. Si is the second most abundant element in the earth crust in the form of silicates, so it is the most cost-effective element as an anode material in next-generation LIBs. In this review, different natural sources such as rice husk, sugar cane bagasse, bamboo, reed plant, sand, halloysite, and different waste sources such as waste of the solar power industry, fly ash, straw ash, and other industrial waste that can give rise to different nanostructured Si are systematically summarized. In addition, different synthesis methods of fabricating nanostructured Si are reviewed as well as including magnesiothermic reduction, etching methods, ball milling, and chemical vapor deposition. The advantages and disadvantages of these kind of synthesis methods are discussed as well. Furthermore, the opportunities and challenges of nano-Si are also discussed.

Rational Design and Mechanical Understanding of Three-Dimensional Macro-/Mesoporous Silicon Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes with a Tunable Pore Size and Wall Thickness

Silicon is regarded as one of the most promising next generation lithium-ion battery anodes due to its exceptional theoretical capacity, appropriate voltage profile, and vast abundance. Nevertheless, huge volume expansion and drastic stress generated upon lithiation cause poor cyclic stability. It has been one of the central issues to improve cyclic performance of silicon-based lithium-ion battery anodes. Constructing hierarchical macro-/mesoporous silicon with a tunable pore size and wall thickness is developed to tackle this issue. Rational structure design, controllable synthesis, and theoretical mechanical simulation are combined together to reveal fundamental mechanisms responsible for an improved cyclic performance. A self-templating strategy is applied using Stöber silica particles as a templating agent and precursor coupled with a magnesiothermic reduction process. Systematic variation of the magnesiothermic reduction time allows good control over the structures of the porous silicon. Finite element mechanical simulations on the porous silicon show that an increased pore size and a reduced wall thickness generate less mechanical stress in average along with an extended lithiation state. Besides the mechanical stress, the evolution of strain and displacement of the porous silicon is also elaborated with the finite element simulation.

Synergic effects of the decoration of nickel oxide nanoparticles on silicon for enhanced electrochemical performance in LIBs

Significant efforts continue to be directed toward the construction of anode materials with high specific capacity and long cycling stability for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this context, silicon is preferred due to its high capacity even though it has a problem of excessive volume expansion during electrochemical reactions as well as poor cyclability due to a reduction in conductivity. Hence, the hybridization of silicon with suitable materials could be a promising approach to overcome the abovementioned problems. Herein, we demonstrate the uniform decoration of nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles (15-20 nm) on silicon nanosheets using bis(cyclopentadienyl) nickel(ii) (C₁₀H₁₀Ni) at low temperatures, taking advantage of the presence of two unpaired electrons in an antibonding orbital in the cyclopentadienyl group. The formation and growth mechanism are discussed in detail. The electrochemical study of the nanocomposite revealed an initial delithiation capacity of 2507 mA h g^-1 with a reversible capacity of 2162 mA h g^-1, having 86% retention and better cycling stability for up to 500 cycles. At the optimum concentration, NiO nanoparticles facilitate Li⁺-ion adsorption, which in turn accelerates the transport of Li⁺-ions to active sites of silicon. The Warburg coefficient and Li⁺-ion diffusion at the electrodes confirm the enhancement in the charge transfer process at the electrode/electrolyte interface with NiO nanoparticles. Further, the NiO nanoparticles with uniform distribution suppress the agglomeration of Si nanosheets and provide sufficient space to accommodate a volume change in Si during cycling, which also reduces the diffusion path length of the Li-ions. It also helps to strengthen the mechanical stability, which might be helpful in preventing the cracking of silicon due to volume expansion and maintains the Li-ion transport pathway of the active material, resulting in enhanced cycling stability. Due to the synergic effect between NiO nanoparticles and Si sheets, the nanocomposite delivers high reversible capacity.

Si and Ge-Based Anode Materials for Li-, Na-, and K-Ion Batteries: A Perspective from Structure to Electrochemical Mechanism

Silicon and germanium are among the most promising candidates as anodes for Li-ion batteries, meanwhile their potential application in sodium- and potassium-ion batteries is emerging. The access of their entire potential requires a comprehensive understanding of their electrochemical mechanism. This Review highlights the processes taking place during the alloying reaction of Si and Ge with the alkali ions. Several associated challenges, including the volumetric expansion, particle pulverization, and uncontrolled formation of solid electrolyte interphase layer must be surmounted and different strategies, such as nanostructures and electrode formulation, have been implemented. Additionally, a new approach based on the use of layered Si and Ge-based Zintl phases is presented. The versatility of this new family permits the tuning of their physical and chemical properties for specific applications. For batteries in particular, the layered structure buffers the volume expansion and exhibits an enhanced electronic conductivity, allowing high power applications.

Ionothermal Synthesis of Crystalline Nanoporous Silicon and Its Use as Anode Materials in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Silicon has great potential as an anode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). This work reports a facile, high-yield, and scalable approach to prepare nanoporous silicon, in which commercial magnesium silicide (Mg₂Si) reacted with the acidic ionic liquid at 100 °C and ambient pressure. The obtained silicon consists of a crystalline, porous structure with a BET surface area of 450 m²/g and pore size of 1.27 nm. When coated with the nitrogen-doped carbon layer and applied as LIB anode, the obtained nanoporous silicon-carbon composites exhibit a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 72.9% and possess a specific capacity of 1000 mA h g^-1 at 1 A g^-1 after 100 cycles. This preparation method does not involve high temperature and pressure vessels and can be easily applied for mass production of nanoporous silicon materials for lithium-ion battery or for other applications.

Li-Ions Transport Promoting and Highly Stable Solid-Electrolyte Interface on Si in Multilayer Si/C through Thickness Control

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been considered as promising electrochemical energy storage devices due to the high volumetric, gravimetric capacity and high power density. The charge/discharge rate and power output of LIBs largely depend on the transport property of lithium-ions (Li-ions). The Li-ions diffusion coefficient and diffusion length are the critical factors influencing the charge/discharge rate of LIBs. In this work, we present that silicon-carbon (Si-C) interfaces in an amorphous Si/C multilayer electrode promote the transport of Li-ions along the direction not only perpendicular to but also parallel to the Si-C interfaces after electrode cracking. The electrode, stacked with 5 nm amorphous carbon and 10 nm amorphous Si, has the most stable solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) formed at the cracks, even when the Si is in direct contact with the electrolyte. It exhibits highly stable cycle performance and a high retained specific capacity. Electron microscopy characterization shows that the structure contains uniform Si/C multilayer blocks of about 1 μm. A micro-size hierarchical multilayer-block design strategy with proper stacking thickness of amorphous Si and carbon is thus proposed for high-performance film LIB anodes. Furthermore, the results may be used as a reference for the design of high-performance core-shell LIB anodes.

Lithiation Behavior of Coaxial Hollow Nanocables of Carbon-Silicon Composite

A design of coaxial hollow nanocables of carbon nanotubes and silicon composite (CNTs@Silicon) was presented, and the lithiation/delithiation behavior was investigated. The FIB-SEM studies demonstrated hollow structured silicon tends to expand inward and shrink outward during lithiation/delithiation, which reveal the mechanism of inhibitive effect of the excessive growth of solid-electrolyte interface by hollow structured silicon. The as-prepared coaxial hollow nanocables demonstrate an impressive reversible specific capacity of 1150 mAh g^-1 over 500 cycles, giving an average Coulombic efficiency of >99.9%. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry confirmed the SEI film excessive growth is prevented.

Lithium Titanate Matrix-Supported Nanocrystalline Silicon Film as an Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

A facile preparation method of a Si-based anode with excellent cycling property is urgently required in the process of preparing lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, lithium titanate (LTO) matrix-supported nanocrystalline Si film is prepared by radio frequency (RF) magnetron cosputtering utilizing LTO and silicon (Si) targets as the sputtering source. LTO-supported nanocrystalline Si film electrodes revealed a repeatable specific capacity of 1200 mA h g^-1 at 150 mA g^-1 with a maintenance of more than 75% even after 800 cycles. The remarkable electrochemical properties of the LTO-Si composite films could be attributed to the LTO matrix, preventing the electrolyte from directly making contact with the nanocrystalline Si materials, alleviating the stress of the periodic volume change and further providing efficient and rapid pathways for lithium-ion transport. The results suggest that Si-based LTO composite films are prospective anodes for LIBs, with high capacities and long cycling stabilities.

A hierarchical porous architecture of silicon@TiO2@carbon composite novel anode materials for high performance Li-ion batteries

The excellent electrochemical properties are attributed to the synergistic action of hierarchical porous TiO₂ and carbon layers.

Synthesis of complementary hierarchical structured Si/C composites with high Si content for lithium-ion batteries

Si/C composites are considered as the most promising anode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high specific capacity and low cost. However, the commercialized Si/C composites cannot maintain a Si content over 10 wt% for sustaining an acceptable cycle life. To achieve long-term cycle stability for Si/C composites with high Si content is still very challenging. Here, we report a rationally designed double-morphology Si/graphene (DMSiG) composite with a high Si content of 78 wt%, and prove its feasibility as a high performance anode material for LIBs. DMSiG composes of Si quantum-dot decorated graphene and mesoporous Si spheres with a complementary hierarchical structure. The graphene framework enhances the electronic conductivity, alleviates the aggregation of mesoporous Si spheres and provides space and flexibility to buffer the volume change during cycling. Mesoporous Si spheres contribute to a large reversible capacity and support the hierarchical architecture of DMSiG. The Si quantum-dots help to build firm connections between graphene and mesoporous Si spheres to avoid their separation during cycling. Coupling these features together, the DMSiG anode delivers a high reversible capacity of 1318 mA h g-1 at a current density of 500 mA g-1 and 684 mA h g-1 at 2000 mA g-1.

Solutions for the problems of silicon-carbon anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in various industries, such as portable electronic devices, mobile phones, new energy car batteries, etc., and show great potential for more demanding applications like electric vehicles. Among advanced anode materials applied to lithium-ion batteries, silicon-carbon anodes have been explored extensively due to their high capacity, good operation potential, environmental friendliness and high abundance. Silicon-carbon anodes have demonstrated great potential as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries because they have perfectly improved the problems that existed in silicon anodes, such as the particle pulverization, shedding and failures of electrochemical performance during lithiation and delithiation. However, there are still some problems, such as low first discharge efficiency, poor conductivity and poor cycling performance, which need to be improved. This paper mainly presents some methods for solving the existing problems of silicon-carbon anode materials through different perspectives.

An amorphous Si material with a sponge-like structure as an anode for Li-ion and Na-ion batteries

Sponge-like amorphous silicon was prepared by reacting silicon tetrachloride with magnesium powder. When the as-prepared sample was applied as an anode in rechargeable batteries, it exhibited a reversible capacity of 1125 mA h g^-1 after 100 cycles at 1 A g^-1 for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) and a reversible capacity of 176 mA h g^-1 at 100 mA g^-1 over 100 cycles for Na-ion batteries (NIBs).

Room-Temperature Solution Synthesis of Mesoporous Silicon for Lithium Ion Battery Anodes

As an important optoelectronic and energy-storage material, porous silicon (PSi) has attracted great interest in various fields. The preparation of PSi, however, usually suffers from low yields and/or complicated syntheses. Herein, we report a facile solution method to prepare PSi with controllable high specific surface area. Commercial Zintl compound Mg₂Si readily reacts with HSiCl₃ in the presence of amines at room temperature to produce amorphous PSi in high yields, where in situ formed salt byproducts serve as templates to generate uniform mesopores of ca. 3.8 nm in diameter. After crystallization treatment at 700 °C in flow Ar gas for 40 min, the obtained crystalline PSi coated with carbon layers shows excellent electrochemical performance when served as lithium ion battery anodes. The reversible specific capacity is about 2250 mA h g^-1 at 0.1 A g^-1 and the capacity retention is maintained at 90% after cycling at high current density of 2 A g^-1 for 320 times. This simple, facile preparation method is very promising and paves the way for massive production of porous Si as high-performance anodes in Li-ion battery industry or for other applications, such as drug delivery systems and catalysis.

Coralloid-like Nanostructured c-nSi/SiOx@Cy Anodes for High Performance Lithium Ion Battery

Balancing the size of the primary Si unit and void space is considered to be an effective approach for developing high performance silicon-based anode materials and is vital to create a lithium ion battery with high energy density. We herein have demonstrated the facile fabrication of coralloid-like nanostructured silicon composites (c-nSi/SiO_x@Cy) via sulfuric acid etching the Al₆₀Si₄₀ alloy, followed by a surface growth carbon layer approach. The HRTEM images of pristine and cycled c-nSi/SiO_x@Cy show that abundant nanoscale internal pores and the continuous conductive carbon layer effectively avoid the pulverization and agglomeration of Si units during multiple cycles. It is interesting that the c-nSi/SiO_x@C_4.0 anode exhibits a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 85.53%, and typical specific capacity of over 850 mAh g^-1 after deep 500 cycles at a current density of 1 A g^-1. This work offers a facile strategy to create silicon-based anodes consisting of highly dispersed primary nano-Si units.

High Areal Capacity Si/LiCoO2 Batteries from Electrospun Composite Fiber Mats

Freestanding nanofiber mat Li-ion battery anodes containing Si nanoparticles, carbon black, and poly(acrylic acid) (Si/C/PAA) are prepared using electrospinning. The mats are compacted to a high fiber volume fraction (≈0.85), and interfiber contacts are welded by exposing the mat to methanol vapor. A compacted+welded fiber mat anode containing 40 wt % Si exhibits high capacities of 1484 mA h g^-1 (3500 mA h g-1Si ) at 0.1 C and 489 mA h g^-1 at 1 C and good cycling stability (e.g., 73 % capacity retention over 50 cycles). Post-mortem analysis of the fiber mats shows that the overall electrode structure is preserved during cycling. Whereas many nanostructured Si anodes are hindered by their low active material loadings and densities, thick, densely packed Si/C/PAA fiber mat anodes reported here have high areal and volumetric capacities (e.g., 4.5 mA h cm^-2 and 750 mA h cm^-3 , respectively). A full cell containing an electrospun Si/C/PAA anode and electrospun LiCoO₂ -based cathode has a high specific energy density of 270 Wh kg^-1 . The excellent performance of the electrospun Si/C/PAA fiber mat anodes is attributed to the: i) PAA binder, which interacts with the SiO_x surface of Si nanoparticles and ii) high material loading, high fiber volume fraction, and welded interfiber contacts of the electrospun mats.

Influence of copper addition for silicon–carbon composite as anode materials for lithium ion batteries

A series of porous Si–C and Si–C/Cu composites have been successfully fabricated by a simple sol–gel and pyrolysis process.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles as high performance anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

A mesoporous nano-SiO₂ anode delivers high specific capacity, good cycling stability and high Coulombic efficiency.