Carbon-coated Si/graphite composites with combined electrochemical properties for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries

Carbon-coated Si/graphite composites with different Si/graphite weight ratio have been fabricated using solid-state reaction with aim to improve the cyclic stability, coulombic efficiency, and rate capability simultaneously. Microstructural investigation reveals that the Si particles are covered by amorphous carbon and attached to the carbon-coated graphite surface. Electrochemical evaluation has been performed using cyclic voltammetry and charge/discharge cycling at different current densities, which indicate that addition of graphite can not only enhance the first-cycle coulombic efficiency to 90 % but also improve the cyclic stability drastically. The carbon-coated Si/graphite composite with appropriate contents of Si, graphite, and carbon is expected to be promising candidate as anode materials for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries.