Conductive Nanofibers Research Articles

Liquid Metal-Based Electronics for On-Skin Healthcare.

Wearable devices are receiving growing interest in modern technologies for realizing multiple on-skin purposes, including flexible display, flexible e-textiles, and, most importantly, flexible epidermal healthcare. A 'BEER' requirement, i.e., biocompatibility, electrical elasticity, and robustness, is first proposed here for all the on-skin healthcare electronics for epidermal applications. This requirement would guide the designing of the next-generation on-skin healthcare electronics. For conventional stretchable electronics, the rigid conductive materials, e.g., gold nanoparticles and silver nanofibers, would suffer from an easy-to-fail interface with elastic substrates due to a Young's modulus mismatch. Liquid metal (LM) with high conductivity and stretchability has emerged as a promising solution for robust stretchable epidermal electronics. In addition, the fundamental physical, chemical, and biocompatible properties of LM are illustrated. Furthermore, the fabrication strategies of LM are outlined for pure LM, LM composites, and LM circuits based on the surface tension control. Five dominant epidermal healthcare applications of LM are illustrated, including electrodes, interconnectors, mechanical sensors, thermal management, and biomedical and sustainable applications. Finally, the key challenges and perspectives of LM are identified for the future research vision.

Fabrication and characterization of conductive electrospun nanofiber mats of carbon nanofiber/poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(lactic acid) ternary nanocomposites for flexible electronics applications

Biodegradable, conductive nanofiber mats by grafting PVA onto carbon nanofiber are developed, demonstrating enhanced structural flexibility, electrical conductivity, and thermal stability, with potential flexible electronics application.

Prussian blue analog derived CoP nanoparticles decorated on electrospun carbon nanofibers for efficient hydrogen evolution

Prussian blue analog (PBA) and its derivatives have been widely used as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, their large-scale application is limited by their low conductivity and easy aggregation. In this work, we have successfully decorated well-dispersed PBA-derived CoP nanoparticles on conductive electrospun carbon nanofibers through consecutive assembly, carbonization and phosphorization processes. The introduction of carbon nanofibers improves the conductivity of the catalyst and accelerates the electron transport. The unique nanostructure further optimizes the electrocatalytic performance of the CoP nanoparticles. As a result, the obtained electrocatalyst exhibited excellent HER performance with an overpotential of only 85 mV to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M KOH, and showed outstanding stability due to the protection of the carbon shell. Our work could be a guidance for the developing of advanced PBA-based electrocatalysts.

In-situ encapsulating ultrafine CoFe2O4 nanoparticle into porous N-doped carbon nanofiber membrane as self-standing anode for enhanced lithium storage performance

The ultrasmall CoFe2O4 nanoparticles in situ encapsulated in porous N-doped carbon nanofibers membranes (CFO@PNCFM) with different pore structures have been prepared by electrospinning and subsequent carbonization. When immediately used as self-standing anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the optimized CFO@PNCFM exhibits superior lithium storage properties with high rate capability (476.5 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1) and long stable cycle life (755.8 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 after 200 cycles). The outstanding electrochemical performance may be mainly ascribed to the synergistic effect of special 3D conductive porous carbon nanofibers (PCNFs) network and ultrafine CoFe2O4 nanoparticles in energy storage, which can significantly enhance the utilization efficiency of electroactive materials and improve the charge-transport kinetics. Moreover, the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles bonded closely to PCNFs through strong metal-oxygen bridges, which promote the electron capture and transfer from PCNFs to CoFe2O4, and thus achieving fast electrochemical reaction kinetics. Meanwhile, the porous structure can not only alleviate the volume change during charge/discharge cycles, but also supply numerous active sites for lithium storage, resulting in a high reversible capacity as well as good cycle stability and rate performance.

Metal-organic frameworks-derived porous NiCo2O4/carbon composite nanofibers as anodes for Li/Na-ion batteries

The NiCo2O4 anode has high theoretical specific capacity for Li/Na-ion batteries, but the low conductivity and volume expansion during lithiation and delithiation lead to severe capacity fading. In this study, a porous bead-like NiCo2O4/carbon composite nanofiber with a metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) structure is prepared by tuning the ratio of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) during the electrospinning process. The MOF-derived NiCo2O4 particles were firmly anchored on highly conductive carbon nanofibers, generating the sturdy construction and large specific surface area (169.7 m2/g) of NCO/C-12. Owing to these structural merits, more active sites are provided with accelerated electron/Li-ion transport upon cycling, and consequently the NCO/C-12 delivered a promoted cycling stability and synergistically enhanced rate performance. The reversible discharge capacity of 1125 mAh/g after 200 cycles and excellent rate performance of 695 mAh/g at 1.5 A/g are presented. And the NCO/C-12 electrode still kept its morphology and excellent structural stability without significant volume expansion or pulverization even after 200 cycles. When serving as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), the electrode also exhibited excellent cycling and rate performance.

Charge-Boosting Strategy for Wearable Nanogenerators Enabled by Integrated Piezoelectric/Conductive Nanofibers.

The surface charge density enhancement by incorporating conductive paths into organic/inorganic piezoelectric composites is considered to be an effective way to achieve high-performance piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs). However, it is challenging to boost the charge density of aligned piezoelectric nanofibers due to the difficulty in efficiently building well-distributed conductive paths in their dense structure. In this work, a charge boosting strategy was proposed for enhancing the surface charge density of aligned piezoelectric nanofibers, that is, synchronously preparing piezoelectric/conductive hybrid nanofibers to realize the effective conductive paths for transferring the underlying charges to the surface of the PDMS/BaTiO3 composites. To this end, antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) conductive nanofibers and barium titanate (BaTiO3) piezoelectric nanofibers with the same preparation conditions were selected and synchronously prepared by the polymer template electrospinning technology, followed by the calcination process. Benefiting from the well-distributed conductive paths for transferring the charges, the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of a PENG with 12 wt% ATO in hybrid nanofibers reached 46 V and 14.5 μA (30 kPa pressure), respectively, which were much higher than the pristine BaTiO3-based PENG. The high piezoelectric performance of the developed PENGs guaranteed their great potential applications in powering wearable microelectronics and monitoring human activity. This charge boosting strategy via the piezoelectric/conductive hybrid nanofibers may inspire the further development of high-performance energy harvesting technology.

Highly conductive and flexible porous carbon nanofibers cloth for high-performance supercapacitor

Porous carbon nanofibers combine the superiorities such as good electrical conductivity, intrinsic and structural flexibility, as well as potential mass production, rendering it an important material for flexible and wearable electronics. Nonetheless, the influence of porous carbon nanofiber's nanostructure on electrochemical performances and mechanical flexibility remains an important open question in the design of high-performance and flexible supercapacitors. To address this matter, herein, we report a systematic study to fabricate the porous carbon nanofibers cloth with both high electrical conductivity and flexibility. Our results indicate that the stress concentration during the bending of porous carbon nanofibers can be efficiently relieved through reducing the size of graphite microcrystals and introducing pores between graphite microcrystals, resulting in good flexibility. Meanwhile, the fabricated porous carbon nanofiber achieves high electrical conductivity (Max. 1600 S/m), which can be directly used as flexible supercapacitor electrode material without introducing a conductive agent and binder. Finally, the flexible supercapacitor electrode based on this porous carbon nanofiber exhibits a high specific capacitance of 184 F/g at a current density of 0.5 A/g. Our win-win strategy provides new insight into the fabrication of flexible porous carbon nanofiber materials, showing great application prospects in the field of flexible supercapacitors.

Intrinsic Light-Activated Oxidase Mimicking Activity of Conductive Polyaniline Nanofibers: A Class of Metal-Free Nanozyme.

In recent decades, studies have focused on inorganic nanozymes to overcome the intrinsic drawbacks of bioenzymes due to the demands of improving the reaction conditions and lack of robustness to harsh environmental factors. Many biochemical reactions catalyzed by enzymes require light activation. Light-activated nanozymes have distinct advantages, including being regulated by light stimuli, activating the molecular oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) without interfering supplementary oxidants, and often showing a synergistic effect to catalyze some challenging reactions. Only a few studies have been done on this connection. Therefore, it is still a big challenge to develop a nanozyme regulated by light activation. Herein, we uncovered the light-activated oxidase mimicking activity of a conducting polymer polyaniline nanofibers (PANI-NFs). PANI-NFs exhibit intrinsic light-activated brilliant oxidase-like activity, can catalyze the colorless tetramethyl benzidine (TMB) to produce a blue product TMBox, and have a distinct Km = 0.087 mM and a high Vmax = 2.32 μM min-1 value, measured by using Hanes-Woolf kinetics. We also report the light-activated oxidase activity of some other renowned carbocatalysts graphene oxide and graphitic carbon nitride and compare them with PANI-NFs. This type of property shown by the conductive polymer is amazing. The density functional theory is used to verify the stability and the mode of adsorption of the PANI NFs-TMB composite, which corroborates the experimental results. Furthermore, the current nanozyme demonstrated a significant ability to kill both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as effectively destroy biofilms under physiological conditions. We believe that this work provides the motivation to create a link between optoelectronics and biological activity in the near future.

Electrospinning fabrication of Sb-SnSb/TiO2@CNFs composite nanofibers as high-performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries

The SnSb and TiO2 nanoparticles uniformly embedded into continuous and conductive carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are successfully fabricated through facile electrospinning combined with calcination treatments. The characterization results of the targeted composite nanofibers (Sb-SnSb/TiO2@CNFs-2) confirm that the presence of TiO2 is of significant importance to construct the elaborately designed and intact fiber structure, in which the optimal dosage of the TiO2 precursor is precisely controlled at 2 mmol. Moreover, high theoretical specific capacity of SnSb, available inhibitory effect of TiO2, and great electronic conductivity of CNFs are cooperatively integrated into the Sb-SnSb/TiO2@CNFs-2 composite nanofibers, guaranteeing the enhanced lithium storage capacity and cycling performance when being employed as the anode electrodes. Specifically, the Sb-SnSb/TiO2@CNFs-2 electrode can not only deliver initial discharge specific capacity of 1146.6 mAh/g at 100 mA/g and reversible discharge specific capacity of 580.4 mAh/g after 100 cycles, but also retain discharge specific capacity of 561.3 mAh/g after rate cycles along with recovering the current density to 100 mA/g. Importantly, the Sb-SnSb/TiO2@CNFs-2 electrode is also endowed with prominent advantages in the pseudocapacitive contribution of 66.89 % at 0.8 mV/s. Those investigations and findings of the Sb-SnSb/TiO2@CNFs-2 composite electrodes with facile fabrication process and excellent electrochemical performance can contribute to the practical application of the alloy anodes in the field of the energy storage.

Intrinsic conductive cellulose nanofiber induce room-temperature reversible and robust polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel for multifunctional self-healable biosensors

Intrinsic conductive cellulose nanofiber induce room-temperature reversible and robust polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel for multifunctional self-healable biosensors

Nafion Composite Membrane Reinforced By Phosphonated Polypentafluorostyrene Nanofibers

The membrane is one of the crucial components of fuel cells. Applying composite membranes for fuel cells is a promising option due to better mechanical properties compared to membranes without reinforcement. Composite membranes can be prepared by combining ionomer with a filler which can be selected from many types of materials, such as polymers, ceramics, carbons, and metals. Filler materials exist in different nanostructures which provide flexible designs for composite membranes. However, the main issue in composite membranes is a trade-off among properties when adjusting the ratio between ionomer and filler, especially between ionic conductivity and mechanical modulus. On the one hand, maintaining high protonic conductivity is possible when small concentrations of reinforcing fillers are incorporated. On the other hand, a high amount of reinforcement can improve the mechanical properties significantly but could result in low protonic conductivity as well. Our strategy to overcome this issue is by employing protonic conductive nanofibers as reinforcement. Electrospinning is a versatile method to transform polymer solutions into long and solid nanofibers. Electrospun fibermats possess a high porosity and contain voids which can be filled with an ionomer like Nafion by spraycoating to form a dense composite membrane.We were successful in producing electrospun nanofibers from phosphonated polypentafluorostyrene (PWN70) and unmodified polypentafluorostyrene (PPFSt). PWN70/Nafion and PPFSt/Nafion composite membranes were prepared separately by spraycoating of a Nafion solution into PWN70 and PPFSt fibermats that have comparable thickness and fiber loading. From tensile tests, we found that composite membranes made from PWN70/Nafion and PPFSt/Nafion have much higher Youngs’ modulus (E) than pure Nafion (Figure 1A). Although PWN70/Nafion is a relatively brittle membrane, it has the best Youngs’ modulus and yield stress. Protonic conductivity is also a crucial membrane property which can be determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In Figure 1B, Nafion reinforced by PPFSt fibers has a reduced conductivity due to non-ion-conductive PPFSt. Surprisingly, the protonic conductivity of a PWN70/Nafion composite membrane is similar to spraycoated Nafion. Without reducing much the protonic conductivity, the PWN70/Nafion composite membrane shows comparable ohmic resistance to the spraycoated D2020 in fuel cell operation which has also been done in this work. Since the PWN70 nanofibers are ion-conductive and electro-spinnable, the nanofibers offer benefits when designing fiber-reinforced composite membrane possessing both good mechanical stability and protonic conductivity. Figure 1

Simultaneous boost of anodic electron transfer and exoelectrogens enrichment by decorating electrospinning carbon nanofibers in microbial fuel cell

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a promising technology in wastewater recovery driven by microbial metabolism. However, the low power output resulting from the sluggish extracellular electron transfer (EET) between the anode surface and exoelectrogens dramatically restricted the further application. This study fabricated a high-performance anode by decorating porous and conductive electrospinning carbon nanofibers (CNFs). The maximum power density in MFC modified with 14 wt% polyacrylonitrile CNFs (M-CNF14, 9.6 ± 0.2 W m−3) was 1.9 and 2.7 times higher than carbon black modified MFC (M-CB, 5.1 ± 0.1 W m−3) and the blank (M-BA, 3.6 ± 0.1 W m−3), respectively. Denser biofilm and more microbial nanowires were observed in the M-CNF14 anode than in other conditions. Furthermore, the redox peak current of c-type cytochrome was 1.7–21 times higher in M-CNF14 than in the blank control, verifying the preferable EET activity. Several exoelectrogens like Petrimonas and Comamonas were enriched in M-CNF14 and showed a positive correlation to power generation. Besides, more simplified and modular interrelations among exoelectrogens and other bacteria were obtained in M-CNF14. This study revealed the microbial-related mechanism for simultaneously improving EET and exoelectrogens enrichment by CNFs modified anode, providing guidelines for high-performance wastewater recovery.

Anion Design-Enabled High-Performance Cobalt-Based 3D Conductive Interlayers to Suppress the Shuttle Effect for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Recently, transition-metal compounds (TMCs) with unique adsorptive and catalytic properties have shown great promise in lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries to inhibit the shuttle effect. However, current studies mostly focus on the morphology control of one specific TMC, while the relationship between the composition and performance is insufficiently revealed. Nevertheless, the polarity and catalytic activity are largely dependent on the components of TMCs, especially the anion species. Herein, we take Co–X (X = O, P, and S) compounds as example compounds and systematically investigate the compositional effects of Co–X compounds on their inhibition abilities for the shuttle effect. To conduct the investigation, CoS2, CoP, and Co3O4 flowers with identical morphologies and nanostructures were successfully grown on 3D conductive self-supporting carbon nanofibers (CNFs) via a facile electrospun method combined with post-heat treatment. When tested in Li–S batteries, the CoS2/CNF interlayer outperforms its phosphide and oxide counterparts, displaying the strongest adsorption ability and the highest catalytic activity toward polysulfides. Impressively, Li–S batteries coupled with CoS2/CNF interlayers exhibit outstanding electrochemical performance with a high specific capacity of 1115.2 mA h g–1 and enhanced cycling stability of 884.4 mA h g–1 after 200 cycles. We believe such an anion design strategy could open a new avenue for constructing high-performance Li–S batteries.

Electrospun NiMoO4-encapsulated carbon nanofibers electrodes for advanced supercapacitors

NiMoO4-encapsulated carbon nanofiber (NiMoO4/ECNFs) composites have been synthesized successfully using electrospinning method and subsequent thermal treatments. The prepared specimens were examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Electrochemical measurements including cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were performed on the symmetric supercapacitors (SSCs) which were assembled from the (75 %)NiMoO4/ECNFs binder-free nanostructured electrodes. Morphological and structural investigations revealed an open 3D interconnected conductive and grain-like texture with homogeneously dispersed monoclinic NiMoO4 nanoparticles. Moreover, a high specific capacity of 122.5 Fg−1 at 1 Ag−1 and an excellent energy density of 43.9 Whkg−1 at a power density of 1567.9 Wkg−1 were obtained from the SSCs. The constructed devices also delivered outstanding cyclic stability (92 % retention after 3000 cycles). The observed electrochemical properties have been ascribed to the uniform dispersion of nanoparticles in the conductive carbon nanofiber matrix. The results suggest that as-fabricated NiMoO4/ECNFs can be considered as a promising electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors.

Direct measurement of proton conductivity of a single ionomer nanofiber

The capability of measuring the ion conductivity of ionomer nanofibers, enabling bottom-up improvement of many clean energy technologies, e.g., polymer electrolyte fuel cells, remains a great challenge due to the difficulties in fixing the sample nondestructively and eliminating the interference from contact impedance and substrate. Herein, we developed a measurement system to tackle this challenge by employing a microelectrode chip and a novel sample welding strategy. The microelectrode chip consists of four Au probes and a cavity in the center. The four-probe setup eliminates the contact impedance and any interfacial effect from the current-carrying electrodes. The central cavity enables the suspension of the tested nanofiber, thereby excludes the substrate interference. The suspended fiber is welded to the probes by the same solution of tested nanofiber under optical microscopy, so that intimate and tight junctions can be formed between the sample and Au probes. Compared to commonly used nano-welding method using electron-beam-induced deposition, this self-welding method can avoid the electron irradiation damage to the delicate sample under test. The measured proton conductivity with the developed system possesses high accuracy and gives insights into the proton conduction mechanism of ionomer nanofibers. Furthermore, the proposed method can be applied to other ionic conductive nanofibers or nanofilms.

Mussel-inspired sulfated nanocellulose-mediated conductive nanofiber for thermoelectric and humidity sensing multifunctional applications

The catechol groups of mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) act as the active sites to induce in-situ polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) on the surface of tunicate sulfated nanocellulose (TSN) to prepare PEDOT:PDA:TSN (PPTSN) conductive nanofiber with a core-sheath structure. The abundant negative sulfate groups on the surface of TSN endow PPTSN with outstanding dispersion stability. The flexible self-supporting PPTSN nanocomposite films formed by solution casting, inheriting the excellent mechanical properties of the TSN core and electrical conductivity of the PEDOT sheath, exhibit decent thermoelectric properties for thermoelectric material applications. Furthermore, based on the humidity responsiveness of PPTSN, the obtained nanocomposite films have great application prospects in constructing respiratory monitoring and non-contact sensors for sensing human humidity-related behaviors.

Novel Conductive rGO/PEDOT:PSS/PVA Nanofibers by Electrospinning

Conductive fibers are widely used in coatings and related applications. An effective production method is important. In this work, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was added into the solution of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The rGO/PEDOT: PSS/PVA conductive nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning using a high-speed horizontal rotating collector instead of a traditional plane collector. The thermal behavior of composite nanofibers with rGO showed good stability compared with PEDOT: PSS/PVA nanofibers. The results show that the conductivity of nanofibers film was enhanced significantly by 100% when the content of 0.2% rGO in the PEDOT: PSS/PVA nanofiber. Further increase of rGO component content resulted in a limited increase in conductivity but with a sharp decline of the mechanical properties of the fibers. The tensile property of the nanofibers gained a significant improvement by 46.9% and 66.5% in the arc and radial direction, which indicates that high-speed horizontal rotating reception can make the texture more regular and stronger in the process of electrospinning.

A High Conductive Composite Bipolar Plate with Conductive Network Constructed by Chemical Vapor Deposition

In this study, a highly conductive composite bipolar plate with an embedded conductive carbon nanofiber network was prepared by chemical vapor deposition, and a conductive network was constructed inside the composite bipolar plate. The latter network was then compared with a conductive network formed by directly adding carbon nanotubes more evenly distributed. The optimum preparation methods of vapor-grown carbon fibers and the fiber content were analyzed, and the specific surface area and porosity of the bipolar plates were measured and analyzed using a BET test. The results show that the carbon nanofibers prepared under the conditions of 700 °C and a content of 2% exhibited the best effect on improving the performance of the bipolar plates. The conductivity of the prepared bipolar plates could reach 255.2 S/cm, which is 22.1% higher than treatment with multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The bending strength of the prepared bipolar plates was 47.92 MPa, and the interface contact resistance was 6.24 mΩ·cm2. In conclusion, the bipolar plates modified with vapor-grown carbon fibers were a promising kind of material for proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

Superhydrophobic, biocompatible and durable nanofiber composite with an asymmetric structure for anisotropic strain sensing and body motion detection

Anisotropic strain sensors show multi-directional sensing that can be used to monitor complex human motions. Aligned electrically conductive nanofiber membranes have been candidates for anisotropic strain sensors. Challenges remain for developing nanofiber composite strain sensors with a large workable strain range, corrosion resistance, excellent durability and biocompatibility. Here, we propose a facile vacuum filtration method to prepare an asymmetric nanofiber composite for the anisotropic strain sensing. The carbon nanofibers (CNF)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are deposited onto an aligned thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanofiber membrane surface, forming a two layered structure. The PDMS ensures strong interfacial adhesion between the TPU nanofibers and the CNF layer, which endows the nanofiber composite with excellent surface stability and durability. The superhydrophobic CNF/PDMS constructs the conductive network, while the aligned nanofiber layer provides the anisotropic mechanical deformation. The nanofiber composite is cytotoxicity-free and exhibits excellent biocompatibility and biosafety. The asymmetric nanofiber composite shows anisotropy in the mechanical property and sensing behavior. The nanofiber composite demonstrates a large working strain range and outstanding sensing durability, and can be used for monitoring the multidirectional body joint motions even under corrosive conditions. Furthermore, the conductive CNF/PDMS exhibits excellent photothermal conversion performance and a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) behavior, and is hence suitable for isotropic temperature sensing. The asymmetric structure opens a new avenue for multifunctional and anisotropic strain sensing.

Silicon nanocrystals-embedded carbon nanofibers from hybrid polyacrylonitrile – TEOS precursor as high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes

The high capacity of silicon (Si) for lithium incorporation makes it a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries; however, pulverization of Si due to huge volume changes during lithiation/delithiation leads to significant capacity loss during cycling. To address challenges in low cyclability, nanostructured Si in carbon nanocomposites offers an attractive solution. In this study, we report an efficient method for the synthesis of a nanocomposite containing Si nanoparticles homogeneously embedded in an electrically conductive carbon nanofiber (CNF) network. Electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution containing hydrolyzed tetraethyoxysilane (TEOS), as a Si precursor, and subsequent carbonization of hybrid nanofibers yielded a composite of SiO2 ultrafine nano-domains in the carbon network (C-SiO2). Low temperature molten salt-assisted aluminothermic reduction of C-SiO2 nanofibers allowed us to produce a C-Si/SiOx nanocomposite without forming detrimental SiC, which is thermodynamically favorable at high temperatures in a system with a high interfacial surface area between the carbon and SiO2 phases. The nanocomposite C-Si/SiOx anodes showed a reversible capacity of 860 mAh g−1 at a current rate of 200 mA g−1, retaining a capacity of 680 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles. In addition, the nanocomposite anodes delivered a reversible capacity of 569 mAh g−1 at a current rate of 400 mA g−1 while maintaining 95% of maximum capacity after subsequent 100 cycles. This study demonstrates the capability of designing nanocomposite anodes from reaction precursors combined with low-temperature aluminothermic reduction to produce a capacity-retaining anode composite of Si nanocrystals uniformly dispersed in the carbon matrix.