Article Title

Water-soluble-template-derived nanoscale silicon nanoflake and nano-rod morphologies: Stable architectures for lithium-ion battery anodes

Authors

Bharat Gattu, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Prashanth Hanumantha Jampani, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Moni Kanchan Datta, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA Center for Complex Engineered Multifunctional Materials (CCEMM), University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Ramalinga Kuruba, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Prashant N. Kumta, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA Center for Complex Engineered Multifunctional Materials (CCEMM), University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA

Keywords

silicon, nanoflakes, nanorods, water-soluble template, NaCl

Abstract

ABSTRACT Earth abundant and economical rock salt (NaCl) particles of different sizes (3 m and 5–20 m) prepared by high energy mechanical milling were used as water-soluble templates for generation of Si with novel nanoscale architectures via low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). Si nanoflakes (SiNF) comprising largely amorphous Si (a-Si) with a small volume fraction of nanocrystalline Si (nc-Si), and Si nanorods (SiNR) composed of a larger volume fraction of crystalline Si (c-Si) and a small volume fraction of a-Si resulted from modification of the NaCl crystals. SiNF yielded first-cycle discharge and charge capacities of ~2,830 and 2,175 mAh·g–1, respectively, at a current rate of 50 mA·g–1 with a first-cycle irreversible loss (FIR loss) of ~15%–20%. SiNR displayed first-cycle discharge and charge capacities of ~2,980 and ~2,500 mAh·g–1, respectively, at a current rate of 50 mA·g–1 with an FIR loss of ~12%–15%. However, at a current rate of 1 A·g–1, SiNF exhibited a stable discharge capacity of ~810 mAh·g–1 at the end of 250 cycles with a fade rate of ~0.11% loss per cycle, while SiNR showed a stable specific discharge capacity of ~740 mAh·g–1 with a fade rate of ~0.23% loss per cycle. The morphology of the nanostructures and compositions of the different phases/phase of Si influence the performance of SiNF and SiNR, making them attractive anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

Graphical Abstract

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-017-1707-z

Publisher

Tsinghua University Press

Recommended Citation

Bharat Gattu,Prashanth Hanumantha Jampani,Moni Kanchan Datta,Ramalinga Kuruba,Prashant N. Kumta, Water-soluble-template-derived nanoscale silicon nanoflake and nano-rod morphologies: Stable architectures for lithium-ion battery anodes. NanoRes.2017, 10(12): 4284–4297