Designing a Silicon‐Dominant Anode with Graphitic Carbon Coating from Biomass for High‐Capacity Li‐Ion Batteries

This study explores the development of a silicon anode material by utilizing biomass as a carbon precursor and synthesizing graphite (carbon nanotubes) at low temperatures. A microporous silicon structure is coated with biomass and an activator to facilitate graphite formation. This article evaluates the electrochemical performance of silicon-dominant anodes with and without a modified carbon coating.

Silicon-carbon (Si/C) composites are extensively studied as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), with carbon typically sourced from biomass precursors or petroleum byproducts to produce amorphous and graphitic carbon, respectively. However, the use of iron salt as an “activator” to induce graphitization in combination with silicon remains unexplored. In this study, biomass-derived carbon is graphitized using an Fe salt activator to evaluate its effectiveness as a silicon coating for high-capacity anodes. Structural analysis via X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy reveals the formation of graphite, predominantly in the form of carbon nanotubes. Electrochemical performance is assessed in both half-cell and full-cell configurations, demonstrating the presence of “activated” graphite enhances reversible capacity, electronic conductivity, and cycle life. These findings highlight low-temperature Fe-assisted graphitization of biomass-derivedcarbon as a promising approach for developing high-performance LIB anodes.

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