• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.317-322
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• 2021

Silicon (Si) has been considered as a promising anode material because of its abundant reserves in nature, low lithium ion (Li⁺) intercalation/de-intercalation potential (below 0.5 V vs. Li/Li⁺) and high theoretical capacity of 4200 mA h/g. In this paper, we prepared a silicon-based (Si-based) anode material containing a small amount of silicon carbide by using magnesiothermic coreduction of silica and hexachlorobenzene. Because of good conductivity of silicon carbide, the cycle performance of the silicon-based anode materials containing few silicon carbide is greatly improved compared with pure silicon. The raw materials were formulated according to a silicon-carbon molar ratio of 10:0, 10:1, 10:2 and 10:3, and the obtained products were purified and tested for their electrochemical properties. After 1000 cycles, the specific capacities of the materials with silicon-carbon molar ratios of 10:0, 10:1, 10:2 and 10:3 were still up to 412.3 mA h/g, 970.3 mA h/g, 875.0 mA h/g and 788.6 mA h/g, respectively. Although most of the added carbon reacted with silicon to form silicon carbide, because of the good conductivity of silicon carbide, the cycle performance of silicon-based anode materials was significantly better than that of pure silicon.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.561-567
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• 2018

In this study, the electrochemical characteristics of Silicon/Carbon anode materials were analyzed to improve the cycle stability of silicon as an anode materials of lithium ion battery. Porous silicon was prepared from TEOS by the $st{\ddot{o}}ber$ method and the magnesiothermic reduction method. Silicon/Carbon anode materials were synthesized by varying the mass ratio between porous silicon and pitch. Physical properties of the prepared Silicon/Carbon anode materials were analyzed by XRD and TGA. Also the electrochemical performances of Silicon/Carbon anode materials were investigated by constant current charge/discharge, rate performance, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance tests in the electrolyte of $LiPF_6$ dissolved in organic solvents (EC : DEC = 1 : 1 vol%). The Silicon/Carbon anode composite (silicon : carbon = 5 : 95 in weight) has better capacity (453 mAh/g) than those of other composition cells. The cycle performance has an excellent capacity retention from 2nd cycle to 30th cycle.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2008

The effects of carbon-coated silicon anode on the electrochemical properties and structural change were investigated. The carbon-coated silicon powders have been prepared by thermal decomposition under argon/10wt% propylene mixed gas flow at $700^{\circ}C$. The surface and crystal structure of the synthesized materials were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. Lithium cells with electrodes made from the uncoated and the carbon coated silicon anode were assembled and tested. The carbon-coated silicon particles merged together well after the insertion/extraction of lithium ions, and showed a relatively low irreversible capacity compared with the uncoated silicon particle.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.243-248
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• 2014

Silicon-carbon composite was prepared by the magnesiothermic reduction of mesoporous silica and subsequent impregnation with a carbon precursor. This was applied for use as an anode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Well-ordered mesoporous silica(SBA-15) was employed as a starting material for the mesoporous silicon, and sucrose was used as a carbon source. It was found that complete removal of by-products ($Mg_2Si$ and $Mg_2SiO_4$) formed by side reactions of silica and magnesium during the magnesiothermic reduction, was a crucial factor for successful formation of mesoporous silicon. Successful formation of the silicon-carbon composite was well confirmed by appropriate characterization tools (e.g., $N_2$ adsorption-desorption, small-angle X-ray scattering, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analyses). A lithium-ion battery was fabricated using the prepared silicon-carbon composite as the anode, and lithium foil as the counter-electrode. Electrochemical analysis revealed that the silicon-carbon composite showed better cycling stability than graphite, when used as the anode in the lithium-ion battery. This improvement could be due to the fact that carbon efficiently suppressed the change in volume of the silicon material caused by the charge-discharge cycle. This indicates that silicon-carbon composite, prepared via the magnesiothermic reduction and impregnation methods, could be an efficient anode material for lithium ion batteries.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.257-264
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• 2023

To develop a high capacity lithium secondary battery, a new approach to anode material synthesis is required, capable of producing an anode that exceeds the energy density limit of a carbon-based anode. This research synthesized carbon nano silicon composites as an anode material for a secondary battery using the RF thermal plasma method, which is an ecofriendly dry synthesis method. Prior to material synthesis, a silicon raw material was mixed at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 wt% based on the carbon raw material in a powder form, and the temperature change inside the reaction field depending on the applied plasma power was calculated. Information about the materials in the synthesized carbon nano silicon composites were confirmed through XRD analysis, showing carbon (86.7~52.6 %), silicon (7.2~36.2 %), and silicon carbide (6.1~11.2 %). Through FE-SEM analysis, it was confirmed that the silicon bonded to carbon was distributed at sizes of 100 nm or less. The bonding shape of the silicon nano particles bonded to carbon was observed through TEM analysis. The initial electrochemical charging/discharging test for the 40 wt% silicon mixture showed excellent electrical characteristics of 1,517 mAh/g (91.9 %) and an irreversible capacity of 133 mAh/g (8.1 %).

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1965-1968
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• 2008

The effects of carbon-coated silicon/graphite (Si/Gr.) composite anode on the electrochemical properties were investigated. The nanosized silicon particle shows a good cycling performance with a reasonable value of the first reversible capacity as compared with microsized silicon particle. The carbon-coated silicon/graphite composite powders have been prepared by pyrolysis method under argon/10 wt% propylene gas flow at $700{^{\circ}C}$ for 7 h. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis indicates that the carbon layer thickness of 5 nm was coated uniformly onto the surface silicon powder. It is confirmed that the insertion of lithium ions change the crystalline silicon phase into the amorphous phase by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The carbon-coated composite silicon/graphite anode shows excellent cycling performance with a reversible value of 700 mAh/g. The superior electrochemical characteristics are attributed to the enhanced electronic conductivity and low volume change of silicon powder during cycling by carbon coating.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.487-492
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• 2021

In this study, the electrochemical properties of pitch coated silicon sheets/graphite anode materials were investigated. Using NaCl as a template, silicon sheets were prepared through the stöber method and the magnesiothermic reduction methode. In order to synthesize the anode composite, the silicon sheets and graphite were combined with SDBS. The pitch coated silicon sheets/graphite was synthesized using THF as a solvent for the anode material composite. The physical properties of the prepared anode composites were analysed by XRD, SEM, EDS and TGA. The electrochemical performances of the prepared anode composites were performed by the current charge/discharge, rate performance, cyclic voltammetry and EIS tests in the electrolyte LiPF₆ dissolved solvents (EC:DMC:EMC=1:1:1 vol%). As the silicon composition of silicon sheets/graphite composite material increased, the discharge capacity also increased, but the cycle stability tended to decrease. The anode material of pitch coated silicon sheets/graphite composite (silicon sheets:graphite=3:7 weight ratio) showed the initial discharge capacity of 1228.8 mAh/g and the capacity retention ratio of 77% after 50 cycles. From these results, it was found that the cycle stability of pitch coated silicon sheets/graphite was improved.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.602-606
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• 2003

Silicon has been developed as an alternate anode material for lithium secondary batteries. A simple approach to improve the electrical contact of silicon powder has described. Carbon-coated and silver-coated silicon have been prepared by chemical vapor deposition and electroless plating respectively. Assembled cells, which consisted of surface modified silicon, lithium foil and $Li^+$ contained organic electrolyte, have been studied using electrochemical methods. Carbon-coated silicon was improved in the electrochemical performance such as reversibility and resistance compared to surface-unmodified silicon.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.446-451
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• 2022

In this study, to improve capacity and cycle stability, the pitch coated nano silicon sheets/CNT composites were prepared through electrostatic bonding of nano silicon sheets and CNT. Silica sheets were synthesized by hydrolyzing TEOS on the crystal planes of NaCl, and then nano silicon sheets were prepared by using magnesiothermic reduction method. To fabricate the nano silicon sheets/CNT composites, the negatively charged CNT after the acid treatment was used to assemble the positively charged nano silicon sheets modified with APTES. THF as a solvent was used in the coating process of PFO pitch. The physical properties of the prepared anode composites were analysed by FE-SEM, XRD and EDS. The electrochemical performances of the synthesized anode composites were performed by current charge/discharge, rate performances, differential capacity and EIS tests in the electrolyte LiPF₆ dissolve solvent (EC:DMC:EMC = 1:1:1 vol%). It was found that the anode material with high capacity and stability could be synthesized when high composition of silicon and conductivity of CNT were used. The pitch coated nano silicon sheets/CNT anode composites showed initial discharge capacity of 2344.9 mAh/g and the capacity retention ratio of 81% after 50 cycles. The electrochemical property of pitch coated anode material was more improved than that of the nano silicon sheets/CNT composites.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.80-85
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• 2015

Silicon/carbon composites as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries were examined to find the cycle performance and capacity. Silicon/carbon composites were prepared by a two-step method, including the magnesiothermic reduction of SBA-15 (Santa Barbara Amorphous material No. 15) and carbonization of phenol resin. The electrochemical behaviors of lithium ion batteries were characterized by charge/discharge, cycle, cyclic voltammetry and impedance tests. The improved electrochemical performance attributed to the fact that silicon/carbon composites suppress the volume expansion of the silicon particles and enhance the conductivity of silicon/carbon composites (30 ohm) compared to that of using the pure silicon (235 ohm). The anode electrode of silicon/carbon composites showed the high capacity approaching 1,348 mAh/g and the capacity retention ratio of 76% after 50 cycles.