Clay-derived mesoporous Si/rGO for anode material of lithium-ion batteries

Abstract Significant volume change and poor conductivity hinder the commercial applications of silicon in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), although it provides high theoretical capacity. Herein, a cost-effective and scalable technique was applied to synthesize silicon/reduced graphene oxide (Si/rGO) from low-cost clay induced by the reduction of GO, in which Si particles are encapsulated by rGO. The appealing structural features make mesoporous Si/rGO highly suitable anode material for LIBs. Furthermore, it shows an enhanced capacity of 1548 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1 after 100 cycles. The composite also displays superior rate capability at various current densities. The enhanced electrochemical performances can be attributed to the mesoporous structure, encapsulation of Si by rGO along with the synergistic effect between rGO and Si, which overcome the disadvantages of Si i.e. large volume variation and low electrical conductivity. In addition to the excellent electrochemical performance, low-cost materials and high-volume processing technology make mesoporous Si/rGO as an attractive candidate for high-performance anodes in LIBs.