Composite Si–Ni nanoparticles produced by plasma spraying physical vapor deposition for negative electrode in Li-ion batteries

Abstract

Si–Ni composite nanoparticles have been produced by a single and continuous plasma spray physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD) from Si and Ni powder feedstocks and their electrochemical performances as anode in lithium-ion batteries (LiB) are investigated. Si nanoparticles with 20–40 nm on which Ni is directly attached with Si/NiSi2 epitaxial interface are formed spontaneously through co-condensation of high temperature elemental gas mixtures during PS-PVD. When only a little amount of Ni is added to Si, the effect of the epitaxial Ni attachment on the Si nanoparticles becomes evident; the cycle capacity is appreciably improved to reach a 1.6 times higher capacity than that of the Si only cell after 50 cycles, due to reduced charge-transfer resistance and nanosized Si particle. In contrast, excessive Ni addition to Si feedstock leads to formation of various silicides as a result of the accelerated silicidation during PS-PVD, which results in a significant decrease in the cycle capacity due to reduction of the active Si phase amount despite reduced charge-transfer resistance.