Mass-Production of Electrospun Carbon Nanofiber Containing SiO<sub>x</sub> for Lithium-Ion Batteries with Enhanced Capacity

Abstract

In this study, electrospun carbon nanofibers hybridized with silicon oxide (SiOx) are prepared by using a syringeless electrospinning system of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution containing tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) via a sequential pyrolysis process. The syringeless electrospinning system provides a large number of composite nanofibers in a short time, and the obtained composite nanofibers exhibit uniform diameter and morphology. The composite nanofiber is converted into a carbon nanofiber containing SiOx via a simple pyrolysis. The obtained SiOx-carbon nanofiber mat exhibits higher charge/discharge capacity than a general carbon nanofiber, and it provides more stable retention than single crystalline silicon materials. Thus, the mass-production of a SiOx-carbon nanofiber from syringeless electrospinning is a promising method to produce anodic materials for Li-ion batteries.