Biomineralization-inspired: rapid preparation of a silicon-based composite as a high-performance lithium-ion battery anode

Abstract

Silicon (Si) is one of the most promising materials for the next-generation anode of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). It not only has the highest theoretical capacity but also is rich in natural resources and related mature technologies. However, its large volume fluctuation and poor electrical conduction must be overcome by compositing it with guest materials. Different from complicated methods that run counter to industrialized applications, herein, a facile and efficient strategy has been applied to prepare an editable Si composite precursor within 30 seconds with rapid biomineralization. After simple post-processing, a high-performance carbon-coated Si composite electrode was obtained, which exhibited good electrical contact, structural stability, and favorable diffusion paths and space for electrolytes. Specifically, this biomineralization strategy improves the capability of lithium storage in the Si electrode with a high-reversible specific capacity. The electrode shows an excellent rate capability at large current density (4 A g⁻¹) and excellent capacity retention in long-term cycling (600 cycles). This approach also provides a new choice to synthesize rapidly diverse electrodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.