Honeycomb-like 3D ordered macroporous SiO_x/C nanoarchitectures with carbon coating for high-performance lithium...

SiO_x anodes are garnering significant interest in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to theirs low voltage plateau and high capacity. However, critical drawbacks, including high expansion rate and low electronic conductivity, severely limit their practical applications. While 0D, 1D, and 2D scale nanostructures have been proven to mitigate these issues, these materials tend to accumulate after prolonged cycling, leading to adverse effects on the mass transfer processes within the electrode. Herein, we have developed a honeycomb-like SiO_x/C nanoarchitecture with carbon coating based on a 3D ordered macroporous (3DOM) structure. The 3D interconnected pore windows facilitate the diffusion and transport of lithium ions (Li⁺) in the electrolyte, and the extremely thin walls (<15 nm) provide a shorter transport path for Li⁺ in the solid. The carbon cladding buffers volume expansion and enhances electronic conductivity. The as-prepared anode demonstrates a high reversible capacity of 1068 mAh/g and an initial coulombic efficiency of 70.7 %. It maintains a capacity of 644 mAh/g (capacity retention of 84.63 %) even at a high current of 1.0 A/g after 700 cycles. The unique honeycomb-like structure offers enormous insights into the study of energy storage in 3D materials.