Ge-Cu nanoparticles produced by inert gas condensation and their application as anode material for lithium ion batteries

We present an anode material consisting of Ge-Cu nanoparticles (Ge-Cu NPs) which were fabricated by a one-step inert gas condensation method. The Ge-Cu NPs consisting of amorphous Ge and orthorhombic Cu3Ge phase were found to have good performance during the lithiation/delithiation process. Reversible discharge capacities were determined of 843, 773, 680, 516 mAh g(-1) at 0.2, 0.5, 1 and 2 C, respectively, with a Coulombic efficiency higher than 96%. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.