A highly conductive and robust micrometre-sized SiO anode enabled by an in situ grown CNT network with a safe petroleum ether carbon source

Abstract

SiO-based materials as lithium-ion anodes have attracted huge attention owing to their ultrahigh capacity. However, they usually undergo severe volume expansion over the repeated lithiation/delithiation processes and have low electronic conductivity, leading to an inferior cycling stability and poor rate capability. In this study, carbon nanotubes in situ grown on the surface of commercially available micro-sized SiO (D₅₀ = 5 μm) were prepared. The conductive network composed of one-dimensional carbon nanotubes could enhance its conductivity and enhance the structural stability during the cycling. The synthesized 3D-SiO@C material demonstrates good long-term cycling stability, with a reversible capacity of up to 687.7 mA h g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles, and it maintains a high reversible capacity of 736.8 mA h g⁻¹, even at a high current density of 1 A g⁻¹.