Facile preparation of nanoscale silicon as an anode material for lithium ion batteries by a mild temperature metathesis route

Silicon has been regarded as a promising alternative anode material for next-generation lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical specific capacity of 3590 mAh g−1 (Li3.75Si formed at room temperature). In this work, nanoscale silicon has been synthesized via a simple and effective metathesis reaction in which SiCl4 is the silicon source and Zn is the reductant and solvent, at a mild temperature of 500 °C. The preparation process is very simple, facile and low-cost. The as-prepared silicon particles are spherical with a diameter of 150-200 nm, and the delithiation capacity of the nanoscale silicon can reach 1747.7 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.2 A g−1.