Stable and fast Si-M-C ternary anodes enabled by interfacial engineering

For lithium storage, the co-hybridization of silicon with metal and carbon matrices is a promising strategy to mitigate the intrinsic challenges of silicon anodes. However, current Si-M-C ternary materials often suffer from nonuniform distribution of triple components, and Si is physically combined to M/C dual matrices with weak interactions. Herein, we propose an interpenetrating hydrogel-enabled methodology for the formation of chemical-bonded and uniform-distributed Si-M-C ternary materials. As a proof-of-concept illustration, com-mercial Si particles have been in situ immobilized within Sn nanorod-filled graphene gel framework, and are covalently bonded with Sn/G dual matrices via interfacial Si-O-Sn and Si-O-C bondings. Thanks to the ratio-nally designed composition and structure, the Si-Sn@G gel framework anode manifests long cycling life (983 mA h g(-1) in the 100th cycle at 0.5 A g(-1)) and good rate capability (717 and 514 mA h g(-1) at 5 and 10 A g(-1), respectively).

Automated summary

An interpenetrating hydrogel-enabled methodology is proposed for the formation of chemical-bonded and uniform-distributed Si-M-C ternary materials for lithium storage. The method improves the nonuniform distribution of current Si-M-C materials and strengthens the interaction between Si and M/C dual matrices.