Silicon micron cages derived from a halloysite nanotube precursor and aluminum sacrificial template in molten AlCl3 as an anode for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Porous nanostructures have been proposed a promising strategy to improve the electrochemical performance of Si materials as anodes of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, expensive raw materials and the tedious preparation processes hinder their widespread adoption. In this work, silicon micron cages (SMCs) have been synthesized in molten AlCl₃ through using spherical aluminum particles as a sacrificial template, and the earth-abundant and low-cost natural halloysite clay as a precursor. The aluminum spheres (1–3 μm) not only act as a sacrificial template but also facilitate the formation of silicon branches, which connect together to form SMCs. As anodes for LIBs, the SMC electrode exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1977.5 mA h g⁻¹ after 50 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A g⁻¹, and 1035.1 mA h g⁻¹ after 300 cycles at a current density of 1.0 A g⁻¹. The improved electrochemical performance of SMCs could be ascribed to the micron cage structure, providing abundant buffering space and mesopores for Si expansion. This promising method is expected to offer a pathway towards the scalable application of Si-based anode materials in the next-generation LIB technology.