High performance of porous silicon/carbon/RGO network derived from rice husks as anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Lithium-ion batteries have drawn ever-increasing attention for application in electric vehicles owing to the high energy density and long cycle life. Herein, we report a novel porous silicon/carbon composite derived from rice husk through activation and subsequent calcinations. To consolidate the structural integrity, RGO is introduced into the porous silicon/carbon composite via ultra-sonication. The final product achieves a stable capacity of 760 mA h g⁻¹ after 80 cycles as well as the notable rate performance of 317 mA h g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹. The enhanced electrochemical properties are attributed to the porous structure, which provides more sites for the charge/discharge process. Meanwhile, the presence of RGO effectively improves the conductivity of the composite and conserves structural integrity. All the results have demonstrated its promising applications in LIBs.