A unique intricate hollow Si nanocomposite designed for lithium storage

With its high theoretical capacity, Si has attracted great attention as an ideal anode material for the realization of Li-ion batteries with high energy density. The huge volume expansion and significant capacity fading of Si electrode are the biggest problems hindering its actual use. In this paper, an intricate hollow Si nanocomposite is designed involving two carbon layers, one void space, and one SiO2 layer as an electrode material to resolve the two issues mentioned above. The two carbon layers can increase the electric conductivity of the electrode. Besides, the void space and SiO2 layer in the Si/C/void/SiO2/C composite can provide multiple guarantees for the preservation of whole structure of the electrode. As a result, this novel structure can deliver a capacity of 900 mA h g-1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g−1.