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A New Strategy for Achieving a High Performance Anode for Lithium Ion Batteries—Encapsulating Germanium Nanoparticles in Carbon Nanoboxes
Author(s) -
Li Dan,
Wang Hongqiang,
Liu Hua Kun,
Guo Zaiping
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201501666
Subject(s) - materials science , germanium , anode , carbon fibers , nanoparticle , electrochemistry , lithium (medication) , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , electrode , composite number , composite material , optoelectronics , silicon , chemistry , medicine , endocrinology , engineering
A novel strategy to improve the electrochemical performance of a germanium anode is proposed via encapsulating germanium nanoparticles in carbon nanoboxes by carbon coating the precursor, germanium dioxide cubes, and then subjecting them to a reduction treatment. The complete and robust carbon boxes are shown to not only provide extra void space for the expansion of germanium nanoparticles after lithium insertion but also offer a large reactive area and reduced distance for the lithium diffusion. Furthermore, the thus‐obtained composite, composed of densely stacked carbon nanoboxes encapsulating germanium nanoparticles (germanium@carbon cubes (Ge@CC)), exhibits a high tap density and improved electronic conductivity. Compared to carbon‐coated germanium bulks, the Ge@CC material shows excellent electrochemical properties in terms of both rate capability and cycling stability, due to the unique cubic core–shell structure and the effective carbon coating, so that the Ge@CC electrode delivers ≈497 mA h g −1 at a current rate of 30 C and shows excellent cycling stability of 1065.2 mA h g −1 at 0.5 C for over 500 cycles.