Novel Three-Dimensional Carbon Nanotube–Graphene Architecture with Abundant Chambers and Its Application in Lithium–Silicon Batteries

Abstract

So far, the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) architectures of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene-based materials remains a significant challenge. In this work, one facile and template-free strategy for fabricating a novel 3D carbon hybrid architecture was reported, which is comprised of CNTs and few-layer graphene (FLG) through carbonizing the solvent-free CNT fluids at 700 °C. In this architecture, FLG served as walls and CNTs acted as backbones forming abundant chambers. The results of transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction patterns, and Raman spectra all proved that FLG was produced from the long-chain organic ions grafted on the CNT surface through carbonization. The analysis of atomic force microscopy showed the thickness of FLG was about 1 nm. The charge–discharge experimental result of the Si/CNT–FLG battery shows that the reversible capacity still remained approximately 1350 mAh g–1 with 96% capacity retention after 300 cycles at 0.5 C, demonstrating an outstanding cycling s...