Binder-free rice husk-based silicon-graphene composite as energy efficient Li-ion battery anodes

Rice husks, often neglected and considered as waste, contain constituents that could be of a potential use in advanced material applications. In this study, rice husks were used as a source of silicon dioxide for the synthesis of silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) through magnesiothermic reduction process. The Si NPs were further used to prepare a binder-free composite system comprising Si NPs and graphene as an anode material for lithium ion battery system (LiBs). The composite system fabricated from rice husk-based Si NPs (RH-Si NPs) yielded an initial capacity of 1000 mA h g(-1) at high applied current density of 1000 mA g(-1). This study opens up the use of waste materials such as rice husk as a sustainable source of key components in advanced technology applications.