Carbon Uniformly Distributed SiOx/C Composite with Excellent Structure Stability for High Performance Lithium-Ion...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Silicon oxides (SiOx) are promising high-specific-energy anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.
• Key limitations include significant volume expansion and poor electrical conductivity, hindering industrial adoption.
• Optimizing SiOx electrode design is crucial for enhancing energy storage performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate novel porous SiOx/C nanohybrids for improved lithium storage.
• To address the volume expansion and conductivity issues of SiOx anode materials.
• To evaluate the electrochemical performance of the developed SiOx/C nanohybrids.

Main Methods:

• Facile sol-gel method followed by pyrolysis to synthesize porous SiOx/C nanohybrids.
• In-situ control of hydrolysis and condensation rates to tune the SiOx/C network stability.
• Electrochemical testing to assess lithium storage capacity and cyclability.

Main Results:

• Uniform nanoscale distribution of SiOx and carbon achieved.
• SiOx/C(50) electrode demonstrated high reversible capacity (808 mAh g⁻¹ at 100 mA g⁻¹).
• Excellent cycling stability with capacity retention of 666 mAh g⁻¹ after 100 cycles and ~550 mAh g⁻¹ after 1200 cycles at 0.5 A g⁻¹.

Conclusions:

• Porous SiOx/C nanohybrids offer enhanced electrical conductivity and structural stability.
• The optimized SiOx/C material effectively mitigates SiOx limitations for advanced battery anodes.
• This fabrication approach provides a viable route for developing high-performance silicon-based anode materials.