Flaky sputtered silicon MWCNTs core-shell structure as a freestanding binder-free electrode for lithium-ion battery

Abstract Core-shell silicon/multiwall carbon nanotubes are one of the most promising anode candidates for further improvement of lithium-ion batteries. Sufficient accommodation for massive volume expansion of silicon during the lithiation process and preventing pulverization and delamination with ea...

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Main Authors: Seyed Ali Hoseini, Shams Mohajerzadeh, Zeinab Sanaee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88019-y
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author Seyed Ali Hoseini
Shams Mohajerzadeh
Zeinab Sanaee
author_facet Seyed Ali Hoseini
Shams Mohajerzadeh
Zeinab Sanaee
author_sort Seyed Ali Hoseini
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Core-shell silicon/multiwall carbon nanotubes are one of the most promising anode candidates for further improvement of lithium-ion batteries. Sufficient accommodation for massive volume expansion of silicon during the lithiation process and preventing pulverization and delamination with easy fabrication processes are still critical issues for practical applications. In this study, core-shell silicon/MWCNTs anode materials were synthesized using a facile and controllable PECVD technique to realize aligned MWCNTs followed by a silicon sputtering step. The use of the PECVD technique and the direct growth of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the current collector creates a low tortuosity, flexible, and conductive scaffold, which, in addition to preventing CNT agglomeration, alleviates the pulverization and delamination of the silicon active material from the current collector, leading to the formation of an electrode with unique electrochemical performance. The CNT-Si core-shell electrode can achieve an excellent gravimetric specific capacity of 3250 mAh/g under a rate of C/5 and 99.8% capacity retention after more than 700 cycles. Electron microscopy revealed that the electrode structure has maintained its integrity and stability during long cycling (700 cycles and more). Apart from achieving high charging capacity, the use of such configuration leads to the formation of facile, inexpensive free-standing binder-free electrodes with no need to polymeric binders.
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issn 2045-2322
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publishDate 2025-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-05b1bcc5848e46369d719840f7131fa82025-02-02T12:21:26ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-88019-yFlaky sputtered silicon MWCNTs core-shell structure as a freestanding binder-free electrode for lithium-ion batterySeyed Ali Hoseini0Shams Mohajerzadeh1Zeinab Sanaee2Thin Film and Nano-Electronic Lab, School of Electrical and Computer Eng., University of TehranThin Film and Nano-Electronic Lab, School of Electrical and Computer Eng., University of TehranNano-fabricated Energy Devices Lab, School of Electrical and Computer Eng., University of TehranAbstract Core-shell silicon/multiwall carbon nanotubes are one of the most promising anode candidates for further improvement of lithium-ion batteries. Sufficient accommodation for massive volume expansion of silicon during the lithiation process and preventing pulverization and delamination with easy fabrication processes are still critical issues for practical applications. In this study, core-shell silicon/MWCNTs anode materials were synthesized using a facile and controllable PECVD technique to realize aligned MWCNTs followed by a silicon sputtering step. The use of the PECVD technique and the direct growth of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the current collector creates a low tortuosity, flexible, and conductive scaffold, which, in addition to preventing CNT agglomeration, alleviates the pulverization and delamination of the silicon active material from the current collector, leading to the formation of an electrode with unique electrochemical performance. The CNT-Si core-shell electrode can achieve an excellent gravimetric specific capacity of 3250 mAh/g under a rate of C/5 and 99.8% capacity retention after more than 700 cycles. Electron microscopy revealed that the electrode structure has maintained its integrity and stability during long cycling (700 cycles and more). Apart from achieving high charging capacity, the use of such configuration leads to the formation of facile, inexpensive free-standing binder-free electrodes with no need to polymeric binders.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88019-yScaffoldLithium-IonTortuosityAnodeMWCNTsBattery
spellingShingle Seyed Ali Hoseini
Shams Mohajerzadeh
Zeinab Sanaee
Flaky sputtered silicon MWCNTs core-shell structure as a freestanding binder-free electrode for lithium-ion battery
Scientific Reports
Scaffold
Lithium-Ion
Tortuosity
Anode
MWCNTs
Battery
title Flaky sputtered silicon MWCNTs core-shell structure as a freestanding binder-free electrode for lithium-ion battery
title_full Flaky sputtered silicon MWCNTs core-shell structure as a freestanding binder-free electrode for lithium-ion battery
title_fullStr Flaky sputtered silicon MWCNTs core-shell structure as a freestanding binder-free electrode for lithium-ion battery
title_full_unstemmed Flaky sputtered silicon MWCNTs core-shell structure as a freestanding binder-free electrode for lithium-ion battery
title_short Flaky sputtered silicon MWCNTs core-shell structure as a freestanding binder-free electrode for lithium-ion battery
title_sort flaky sputtered silicon mwcnts core shell structure as a freestanding binder free electrode for lithium ion battery
topic Scaffold
Lithium-Ion
Tortuosity
Anode
MWCNTs
Battery
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88019-y
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AT zeinabsanaee flakysputteredsiliconmwcntscoreshellstructureasafreestandingbinderfreeelectrodeforlithiumionbattery