Novel nano-silicon/polypyrrole composites for lithium storage

A novel nano-silicon/polypyrrole composite, suitable for lithium-ion battery anodes, was prepared by chemical polymerization. The cycling stability of Si/PPy electrodes was significantly improved compared to that of the bare Sianodes. The electrochemical performance of the Si/PPy electrodes was comparable to that of Si/DC nanocomposite electrodes. The vast network of the PPy matrix is a suitable environment to increase the electrical conductivity, buffer the volume change during cycling, and prevent cracking and pulverization of the Si electrode.