Decorated carbon nanotubes by silicon deposition in fluidized bed for Li-ion battery anodes

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes Graphistrength® were decorated with silicon by Fluidized Bed Chemical Vapor Deposition. The ability to fluidize of these nanotubes forming ball-shaped jumbles of several hundreds of microns in diameter and that of the final CNT-Si balls was first studied. These balls reveal to fluidize with characteristics of Geldart's group A particles, i.e. without bubbles and with high bed expansion. Coating experiments from silane SiH4 were performed at 500 °C in the 30–60 wt.% range of silicon deposited. SEM and TEM imaging reveals that the nanotubes are coated by silicon nanoparticles uniformly distributed from the periphery to the center of the balls for the whole conditions tested. On-line acquisition of key process parameters evolution shows that the material remains fluidizable, even for large proportions of silicon deposited. The Sauter diameter and the tapped, untapped and skeleton densities of balls increase with the percentage of silicon deposited, whereas their specific surface area decreases due to the progressive filling of the pores by the deposit. This composite material is a promising candidate as anode to replace graphite in lithium-ion batteries.

► The gas–solid fluidization of carbon nanotubes ball-shaped jumbles is studied.
► They can be fluidized with characteristics of Geldart's group A particles.
► They are uniformly coated by silicon nanoparticles using Fluidized Bed CVD.
► Their physical properties are studied vs. the percentage of deposited silicon.
► This composite material is a promising candidate for Li-ion battery anodes.