In situ growth of carbon nanotube wrapped Si composites as anodes for high performance lithium ion batteries

Abstract

The composites of carbon nanotube wrapped Si particles (CNTWS) were synthesized in situ by using the catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) method. In this process, carbon nanotubes were produced in situ to wrap Si by the catalysis action of nascent Cu* under an acetylene atmosphere at a relatively low temperature of 400 °C, in which nascent Cu* was created by the reaction between Si particles and CuCl synchronously. The weight ratio of Si/C in CNTWS is 0.76/0.24. As anode materials for lithium ion batteries, the CNTWS composites exhibit a reversible discharge capacity of 1031.1 mA h g⁻¹ at 1.8 A g⁻¹ after 500 cycles, and 868.2 mA h g⁻¹ at 10.0 A g⁻¹. The high electrochemical performance of CNTWS composites is associated with the in situ formed carbon nanotubes.