Solution-Grown Silicon Nanowires for Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes

• Published in: ACS nano Vol. 4; no. 3; pp. 1443 - 1450
• Main Authors: Chan, Candace K, Patel, Reken N, O’Connell, Michael J, Korgel, Brian A, Cui, Yi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 23.03.2010; American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Subjects: solar (photovoltaic), phonons, energy storage (including batteries and capacitors), defects, charge transport, materials and chemistry by design, synthesis (novel materials), synthesis (self-assembly); carbon nanotubes; silicon nanowires; lithium-ion battery anodes
• ISSN: 1936-0851; 1936-086X
• DOI: 10.1021/nn901409q

Composite electrodes composed of silicon nanowires synthesized using the supercritical fluid−liquid−solid (SFLS) method mixed with amorphous carbon or carbon nanotubes were evaluated as Li-ion battery anodes. Carbon coating of the silicon nanowires using the pyrolysis of sugar was found to be crucial for making good electronic contact to the material. Using multiwalled carbon nanotubes as the conducting additive was found to be more effective for obtaining good cycling behavior than using amorphous carbon. Reversible capacities of 1500 mAh/g were observed for 30 cycles.