Electrochemical characteristics of phosphorus doped silicon and graphite composite for the anode materials of lithium secondary batteries

Poly-crystalline silicon particles with a diameter of 80∼100 nm were synthesized by the plasma arc discharge method. Natural graphite, poly-crystalline silicon, poly-crystalline silicon/graphite composite and phosphorus doped poly-crystalline silicon/graphite composite particles were used as the anode materials of lithium secondary batteries and their electrochemical performances were compared. The phosphorus component on the surface and internal structure of the silicon particles were observed by XPS and SIMS analyses, respectively. In our experiments, the phosphorus doped silicon/graphite composite electrode exhibited better cycle performance than the intrinsic silicon/graphite composite electrode. The discharge capacity retention efficiency of the intrinsic silicon/graphite composite and phosphorus doped silicon/graphite composite electrodes after 20 cycles were 8.5% and 75%, respectively. The doping of phosphorus leads to an increase in the electrical conductivity of silicon, which plays an important role in enhancing the cycle performance. The incorporation of silicon into graphite has a synergetic effect on the mitigation of the volume change and conducting medium in the composite electrode during the charge–discharge reaction.