ABSTRACT
The carbon layer with good electrical conductivity and outstanding mechanical stability are essential in designing high-performance silicon/carbon (Si/C) anodes to replace the commercial graphite in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In terms of solving the two inherent defects of poor conductivity and big volume change of silicon, we fabricate a spongy carbon matrix derived from ZIF-8 to anchor saclike silicon synthesized by molten salt magnesiothermic reduction method. This spongy matrix can anchor saclike silicon to provide a stable reaction interface and support fast electronic transmission. At the same time, buffer space in saclike Si nanoparticles and spongy matrix can synergistically accommodate the volume change of Si to maintain the integrity of the electrode. The resulting composite with a high Si content of 77.58% exhibits good capacities of 1448 mAh g-1 at 2 A g-1 and 848 mAh g-1 at 4 A g-1 after 500 cycles. High initial coulombic efficiency of 84% at 0.2 A g-1 is also exhibited in the first three activation cycles. Therefore, this novel multifunctional N-doped spongy matrix can supply multifaceted benefits in accommodation of volumetric variation, enhancement of conductivity, and integrity of structure during cycling.