Enhanced Electrochemical Kinetics of Lithium Storage for SiO Anodes with CNTs Conductive Agents

SiO has been considered as a promising high-energy-density anode for lithium-ion battery (LIBs), but its low intrinsic conductivity and huge volumetric expansion further limit its lithium storage ability. One of the high-efficiency solutions is to establish a seamless electronic/ionic conduction pathway within the SiO electrode by incorporating advanced conductive agents. We investigated a series of novel carbon-based conductive agents on the electrochemical property for SiO electrode, namely few-walled carbon nanotubes (FWCNT), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), and graphene (GPE). Both FWCNT and SWCNT conductive agents can effectively reduce the internal resistance and enhance electrical contact, thereby maintaining a continuous ion/electron diffusion path during cycling. As a result, they exhibit a high reversible capacity of 1250 mAh g −1 , and a specific capacity of more than 320 mAh g −1 at 2 C rate. This work provides valuable insights into the role of conductive agents in improving the electrochemical performance of SiO electrodes.