Novel silicon nanoparticles with nitrogen-doped carbon shell dispersed in nitrogen-doped graphene and CNTs hybrid electrode for lithium ion battery

A Si-rGO/NCT composite, in which Si nanoparticles (SiNPs) are enwrapped with N-doped carbon and combine with N-doped graphene and CNTs as conductive matrices synthesized by simple solution-mixing and carbonization process with pyrolyzing melamine formaldehyde resin (MFR) is developed as a promising candidate anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). The N-doped carbon outside SiNPs can not only improve the electrical conductivity of the composite, but also buffer the stress causing by huge volume change of SiNPs during the lithiation/delithiation process. The Si-rGO/NCT composite exhibits high specific capacity and good cycling stability (892.3   mAh   g −1 at 100   mA   g −1 up to 100 cycles), as well as improved rate capability. This approach provides a very facile route to obtain silicon-based anode materials.