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Silicon-multi-walled carbon nanotubes-carbon microspherical composite as high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries

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Abstract

Silicon-multi-walled carbon nanotubes-carbon (Si-MWNTS-C) microspheres have been fabricated through the ball milling and spray drying method followed by the carbonization process. The as-prepared composite microspheres are confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The specific capacity of the as-prepared microspherical composite as anode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is about 1100 mAh g−1 at the current density of 0.2 A g−1 (based on the total weight of the composite). At the high current density of 6 A g−1, the Si-MWNTS-C microspheres exhibit reversible capacity of 415 mAh g−1. Through the ex situ SEM, we observed that the Si-MWNTS-C microspherical composite particles have no extinct change on the electrode surface except for the growth of the spherical particles after 100 cycles. The excellent electrochemical performance is ascribed to the synergistic effect between Si nanoparticles (Si NPs) and MWNTS-C microspheres. The as-prepared Si-MWNTS-C microspheres can effectively accommodate large volume changes and provide a 3D conductive network during the lithiation–delithiation processes.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant 2012AA110204), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 21321062), and Key Project of Science and Technology of Fujian Province (Grant 2013H6022). The authors also wish to express their thanks to Prof. D. W. Liao for his valuable suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People’s Republic of China

    Yiyong Zhang, Kun Li, Panying Ji, Dingqiong Chen, Jing Zeng, Yazhou Sun & Jinbao Zhao

  2. College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People’s Republic of China

    Peng Zhang & Jinbao Zhao

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  1. Yiyong Zhang
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  2. Kun Li
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Correspondence to Jinbao Zhao.

Electronic supplementary material

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10853_2016_503_MOESM1_ESM.docx

Calcination conditions of composite materials, SEM images of raw materials, SEM and TEM images and element mapping of the Si-MWNTS-C microspheres fabricated by spray drying, XRD pattern of Si-MWNTS-C composites. Cycling performance of the Si-MWNTS-C microsphere fabricated by spray drying. Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 3005 kb)

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Zhang, Y., Li, K., Ji, P. et al. Silicon-multi-walled carbon nanotubes-carbon microspherical composite as high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries. J Mater Sci 52, 3630–3641 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-016-0503-6

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