Self-supporting porous amorphous silicon anode for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Amorphous Si (a-Si) exhibits significant advantages as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries due to its excellent tolerance to intrinsic strain/stress and superior charge transfer kinetics. However, the successful implementation of a-Si requires scalable synthesis and rational design. In this study, we have successfully synthesized a self-supporting three-dimensional (3D) porous a-Si anode (3DporCu@a-Si@CNTs) using a simple process that avoids dangerous reagents or expensive equipment. The outstanding performance of the anode is attributed to its binder-free 3D porous structure, amorphous nature, and artificial surface modification. After 150 cycles at 0.1C, the 3DporCu@a-Si@CNTs anode delivers a high capacity of 2674 mAh g^-1 while maintaining the 3D porous structure. Furthermore, it demonstrates a remarkable rate capability of 2281 mAh g^-1 at 10C. The simplified synthesis process and the performance advantages highlight the potential of this anode in lithium-ion battery applications.