Honeycomb-Like Porous Carbon Framework with Consecutive Conductive Channels for Stable SiO_x/C Anodes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Silicon oxide (SiO_x) materials are promising anodes for lithium-ion batteries.
• Key challenges include slow kinetics and significant volume expansion during cycling.
• These limitations hinder the practical application of SiO_x anodes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel strategy for fabricating SiO_x/C composites with enhanced electrochemical performance.
• To address the limitations of slow kinetics and volume changes in SiO_x anodes.
• To create a scalable method for producing template-free porous silicon-based materials.

Main Methods:

• An *in situ* molecular polymerization strategy using a loading substrate (PM) and silane.
• One-step condensation followed by carbonization at 900 °C to form SiO_x/C composites with honeycomb porous frameworks.
• Characterization of the material structure and electrochemical performance as an anode.

Main Results:

• Uniformly dispersed SiO_x/C composites with a honeycomb porous framework were successfully synthesized.
• The porous structure facilitated rapid Li⁺ transport, stress dissipation, and improved electrode-electrolyte wettability.
• The PM@SiO_x/C anode exhibited 95.8% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 2 A g^-1.
• Enhanced lithium-ion diffusion kinetics and electrochemical performance at high current densities were observed.

Conclusions:

• The molecular polymerization strategy effectively overcomes the limitations of SiO_x anodes.
• The resulting honeycomb porous SiO_x/C composites offer dual protection for enhanced stability and performance.
• This method provides a scalable and template-free approach for producing advanced silicon-based anode materials.