Fabrication of Ordered NiO Coated Si Nanowire Array Films as Electrodes for a High Performance Lithium Ion Battery

Highly ordered NiO coated Si nanowire array films are fabricated as electrodes for a high performance lithium ion battery via depositing Ni- on electroless-etched Si nanowires and subsequently an nealing. The structures and morphologies of as prepared films are characterized by X-ray diffraction scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. When the potential window versus lithium was controlled, the coated NiO can be selected to be electrochemically active to store and release. Like ions, while highly conductive crystalline Si cores function as nothing more than a stable mechanical support and an efficient electrical conducting pathway. The hybrid nanowire array films exhibit superior cyclic stability and reversible capacity compared to that of NiO nanostructured films. Owing to the case of large scale fabrication and superior electrochemical performance these hybrid nanowire array films will be promising anode materials for high performance lithium ion batteries.