Si[sub 6]H[sub 12]/Polymer Inks for Electrospinning a-Si Nanowire Lithium Ion Battery Anodes

Abstract

Amorphous silicon nanowires (a-SiNWs) have been prepared by electrospinning a liquid silane-based precursor. Cyclohexasilane was admixed with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in toluene giving an ink that was electrospun into the wires with diameters of 50–2000 nm. Raman spectroscopy revealed that thermal treatment at transforms this deposit into a-SiNWs. These materials were coated with a thin carbon layer and then tested as half-cells where a reasonable plateau in electrochemical cycling was observed after an initial capacity fade. Additionally, porous a-SiNWs were realized when the thermally decomposable binder polypropylene carbonate/polycyclohexene carbonate was used as the polymer carrier.