Silicon Particles With Porous Engineering and Tin Nanoparticles‐Enhanced Carbon Wrapping for Improved Lithium Storage

Silicon (Si) is regarded as a highly attractive anode material for next‐generation high‐energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) owing to its exceptional specific capacity. However, its practical application is hindered by sluggish reaction kinetics and substantial volume changes during cycling. In this study, a Si@u‐SC composite was prepared through a facile urea‐assisted hydrothermal process followed by carbonization. This composite consists of irregular Si particles surface‐decorated with pores and tin nanoparticles (Sn NPs) and further wrapped within a Sn NP‐dispersed porous carbon matrix. The incorporation of dispersed Sn not only strengthens the mechanical robustness but also boosts the electrical conductivity of the carbon matrix. Therefore, the Sn NP‐dispersed porous carbon matrix is called the Sn‐enhanced porous carbon matrix. Results demonstrate that this well‐designed composite structure effectively enhances structural integrity and facilitates rapid ion/electron transport. As a result, the Si@u‐SC electrode delivers significantly improved electrochemical performance compared to pristine Si (P–Si), retaining capacities of 1051.8 mAh g −1 after 300 cycles at 400 mA g −1 and 502.2 mAh g −1 after 500 cycles at 1000 mA g −1 . This work is expected to offer some inspiration on the design of advanced Si/C anodes for LIBs.