AlF3 microrods modified nanoporous Ge/Ag anodes fabricated by one-step dealloying strategy for stable lithium storage

Abstract Although Ge-based anodes exhibit the advantage of high theoretical specific capacity, the poor stability during cycling limits their application in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, we prepare an AlF3 modified nanoporous Ge/Ag composite through a facile one-step dealloying strategy. The as-obtained Ge/Ag/AlF3 electrode displays excellent cycle stability (924 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 after 100 cycles) and good rate performance (795 mAh g−1 at 1000 mA g−1). The good cycling stability is most relevant to the stabilization effects of AlF3 and sufficient porous space for volume change during lithiation/delithiation. The paper expands dealloying technique and enriches the compositions and structures of the dealloyed products by utilizing anions in etchant. The novel route may promote the synthesis of new dealloying products and their application in LIB electrodes.