Delicate construction of Si@SiOx composite materials by microwave hydrothermal for lithium-ion battery anodes

Si@SiOx composite is successfully prepared by microwave hydrothermal method and is used as lithium-ion battery anode material. Delicate construction of the composite with uniform SiOx layer on Si nanoparticle surface can help to form stable solid electrolyte interphase layer. Moreover, the generated Li-oxide and Li-silicate can accommodate the volume changes caused by reaction of Si with Li+ during the charging and discharging processes, which help to leading superior cyclic performance. As an lithium-ion battery anode, the Si@SiOx composite electrode exhibits effectively improved electrochemical performance with initial reversible specific capacity of 1090.2 mAhg(-1) and capacity retention as high as 95.9% (1045.4 mAhg(-1)) after 100 cycles. The method is mass-productive and benefit for the cyclic stability of Si anodes, which could be employed for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.