Si@S-doped C anode with high cycling stability using PVA-g-PAA water soluble binder for lithium-ion batteries

The nanostructured Si@S-doped C (Si/C) hybrid is synthesized via a mild hydrothermal process of glucose and the simultaneous polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene and poly(sodium-4-styrene sulfonate) on the surface of nano-Si powders, then followed by a calcination process. A new water soluble polymer of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) grafted with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) is synthesized via a free-radical polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) in a 1:1 weight ratio in PVA water solution. The Si/C anode using PVA-g-PAA binder, exhibits improved lithium storage properties and cycling stability than that of the parallel electrode with carboxymethyl cellulose binder, which exhibits an initial coulombic efficiency (82.0%), even a reversible capacity of 487 mAh g(-1) after 300 cycles with 81.2% capacity retention at 0.4 A g(-1). (c) 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 137, 48764.