Magnesiothermic reduction SiO coated with vertical carbon layer as high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries

Silicon monoxide (SiO), as one of the most competitive anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), has received considerable attention. Nevertheless, poor initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and larger volume change are the main obstacles to the application of SiO. Here, we suggest a controllable route for the modification of micro-sized SiO via magnesiothermic reduction. To prevent the excessive growth of Si grains caused by the overheating reaction, the solid-state thermal reaction between Mg and SiO is achieved by mixing a certain proportion of NaCl at a suitable temperature, resulting in a loose surface and porous structure of SiO particles, which is conducive to the transportation of lithium ions and electrons. Combined with chemical vapor deposition (CVD), the carbon-coated SiOx composites (M-SiOx@C-R, where R is the molar ratio for Mg and SiO) exhibit unique morphology structure and remarkable electrochemical characteristics. As expected, the vertical carbon network improves the conductivity and alleviates the volume expansion of SiOx. Notably, the M-SiOx@C-0.75 electrode offers a large initial specific capacity of 2283.17 mAh g(-1) with a higher ICE of 86.03 % at 100 mA g(-1). Furthermore, the full cells using M-SiOx@C-0.75 composite as the negative electrode and LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) as the positive electrode were assembled. After 150 cycles, the full cell still delivers a high specific capacity of 72.22 mAh g(-1) (with a retention rate of 47 %). This work provides a feasible route for the fabrication of applicable SiO-based anode materials.