Facile Fabrication of Silicon Nanotube Arrays and Their Application in Lithium-Ion Batteries

In this study, the authors report for the first time a wafer-scale method for fabricating vertical-aligned silicon nanotubes ( SiNTs) on a silicon substrate using a combination of nanoimprint lithography ( NIL) and metal-assisted chemical etching ( MaCE) processes. The structural properties and adhesion strength characteristics of the prepared SiNTs are investigated via field emission scanning electron microscope ( FE-SEM), transmission electron microscope ( TEM) analysis, and adhesion test. And, the authors successfully demonstrate the feasibility of using the fabricated SiNTs in a Li-ion battery ( LIB) anode, and their potential to enhance LIB technologies.