• Clean Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.220-227
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• 2024

As the demand for lithium-ion batteries with high capacity and high energy density has rapidly increased, silicon anodes (theoretical capacity = 3,570 mA h g^-1) have garnered attention as potential replacements for conventional graphite anodes (theoretical capacity = 372 mA h g^-1). However, silicon anodes suffer from severe volume expansion (~360%) during lithiation, low ionic conductivity (10^-14 ~ 10^-13 cm² S^-1), and low electrical conductivity (10^-2 S cm^-1), resulting in poor cycling and rate performance. To address these issues, this study synthesized core@shell-structured silicon@carbon nanoparticles (Si@C NPs) via a one-pot spray pyrolysis process using Pluronic-F127. Pluronic-F127 in the spray solution contributes to the synthesis of nanoparticles by preventing the formation of silicon nanoparticle/dextrin agglomerates and by undergoing pyrolysis simultaneously. Additionally, dextrin derived amorphous carbon was coated on the surface of the silicon nanoparticles to act as an electron transport pathway within the anodes and enhance the electrical contact between the silicon nanoparticles. The Si@C NPs exhibited a discharge capacity of 1,912 mA h g^-1 after 50 cycles at 1.0 A g^-1 and high rate capabilities (discharge capacity of 1,493 mA h g^-1 at 3.0 Ag^-1). The silicon@carbon composite nanoparticle synthesis strategy based on the spray pyrolysis process presented in this study is expected to offer a new direction for improving the performance of silicon anode materials.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.395-402
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• 2011

The nanomechanical properties of fully lithiated and unlithiated silicon nanowire deposited on silicon substrate have been studied with atomic force microscopy. Silicon nanowires were synthesized using the vapor-liquid-solid process on stainless steel substrates using Au catalyst. Fully lithiated silicon nanowires were obtained by using the electrochemical method, followed by drop-casting on the silicon substrate. The roughness, derived from a line profile of the surface measured in contact mode atomic force microscopy, has a smaller value ($0.65{\pm}0.05$ nm) for lithiated silicon nanowire and a higher value ($1.72{\pm}0.16$ nm) for unlithiated silicon nanowire. Force spectroscopy was utilitzed to study the influence of lithiation on the tip-surface adhesion force. Lithiated silicon nanowire revealed a smaller value (~15 nN) than that of the Si nanowire substrate (~60 nN) by a factor of two, while the adhesion force of the silicon nanowire is similar to that of the silicon substrate. The elastic local spring constants obtained from the force-distance curve, also shows that the unlithiated silicon nanowire has a relatively smaller value (16.98 N/m) than lithiated silicon nanowire (66.30 N/m) due to the elastically soft amorphous structures. The frictional forces of lithiated and unlithiated silicon nanowire were obtained within the range of 0.5-4.0 Hz and 0.01-200 nN for velocity and load dependency, respectively. We explain the trend of adhesion and modulus in light of the materials properties of silicon and lithiated silicon. The results suggest a useful method for chemical identification of the lithiated region during the charging and discharging process.