Improvement of Lithium Storage Performance of Silica Anode by Using Ketjen Black as Functional Conductive Agent

In this paper, SiO₂ aerogels were prepared by a sol-gel method. Using Ketjen Black (KB), Super P (SP) and Acetylene Black (AB) as a conductive agent, respectively, the effects of the structure and morphology of the three conductive agents on the electrochemical performance of SiO₂ gel anode were systematically investigated and compared. The results show that KB provides far better cycling and rate performance than SP and AB for SiO₂ anode electrodes, with a reversible specific capacity of 351.4 mA h g^-1 at 0.2 A g^-1 after 200 cycles and a stable 311.7 mA h g^-1 at 1.0 A g^-1 after 500 cycles. The enhanced mechanism of the lithium storage performance of SiO₂-KB anode was also proposed.