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Revealing seed-mediated structural evolution of copper-silicide nanostructures: generating structured current collectors for rechargeable batteries
Date
2024
Abstract
Metal silicide thin films and nanostructures typically employed in electronics have recently gained significant attention in battery technology, where they are used as active or inactive materials. However, unlike thin films, the science behind the evolution of silicide nanostructures, especially 1D nanowires (NWs), is a key missing aspect. CuxSiy nanostructures synthesized by solvent vapor growth technique are studied as a model system to gain insights into metal silicide formation. The temperature-dependent phase evolution of CuxSiy structures proceeds from Cu>Cu0.83Si0.17>Cu5Si>Cu15Si4. The role of Cu diffusion kinetics on the morphological progression of Cu silicides is studied, revealing that the growth of 1D metal silicide NWs proceeds through an in situ formed, Cu seed-mediated, self-catalytic process. The different CuxSiy morphologies synthesized are utilized as structured current collectors for K-ion battery anodes. Sb deposited by thermal evaporation upon Cu15Si4 tripod NWs and cube architectures exhibit reversible alloying capacities of 477.3 and 477.6 mAh g−1 at a C/5 rate. Furthermore, Sb deposited Cu15Si4 tripod NWs anode tested in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries demonstrate reversible capacities of ≈518 and 495 mAh g−1.
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Description
Publisher
Wiley and Sons Ltd
Citation
Advanced Materials, 2024, 36, 2310823
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Sankaran_2024_Revealing.pdf
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Funding Information
This work was supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under grant agreement no.814464 (Si-DRIVE project). K.M.R. acknowledges Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) under the Principal Investigator Program under contract no. 16/IA/4629 and under grant no. SFI 16/M-ERA/3419. K.M.R. further acknowledges IRCLA/2017/285 and SFI Research Centers MaREI, AMBER, and CONFIRM 12/RC/2278_P2, 12/RC/2302_P2, and 16/RC/3918. H.G. acknowledges the Science Foundation Ireland under grant no.18/SIRG/5484. Open access funding provided by IReL.