The Si@C-Network Electrode Prepared by an In Situ Carbonization Strategy with Enhanced Cycle Performance

A porous and fluffy Si@C-network electrode, in which the Si nanoparticles contact with the carbon conductive network, is prepared by an in-situ carbonization method on a copper collector. Si nanoparticles are uniformly embedded in the 3-dimensional fluffy carbon network, which could suppress the capacity decay resulting from the Si volume expansion during the cycling process. The Si@C-network electrode with a high ratio (83.4 wt %) of active Si exhibits long-term cycling stability (capacity retention of 765 mAh g(-1) after 700 cycles at 2100 mA g(-1)) and good rate performance. The superior electrochemical performance is attributed to the continuous conductive network, which improves the conductivity of electrode and maintains the electrode structure well after 100 cycles.