title: Germanium microflower-on-nanostem as a high-performance lithium ion battery electrode.
abstract: We demonstrate a new design of Ge-based electrodes comprising three-dimensional (3-D) spherical microflowers containing crystalline nanorod networks on sturdy 1-D nanostems directly grown on a metallic current collector by facile thermal evaporation. The Ge nanorod networks were observed to self-replicate their tetrahedron structures and form a diamond cubic lattice-like inner network. After etching and subsequent carbon coating, the treated Ge nanostructures provide good electrical conductivity and are resistant to gradual deterioration, resulting in superior electrochemical performance as anode materials for LIBs, with a charge capacity retention of 96% after 100 cycles and a high specific capacity of 1360 mA h g(-1) at 1 C and a high-rate capability with reversible capacities of 1080 and 850 mA h g(-1) at the rates of 5 and 10 C, respectively. The improved electrochemical performance can be attributed to the fast electron transport and good strain accommodation of the carbon-filled Ge microflower-on-nanostem hybrid electrode.
authors.affiliation: 1] Institute for Multi-Convergence of Matter (IMCM), Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 136-791, Korea [2] School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-713, Korea.
authors.forename: Gwang-Hee
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multi-Convergence of Matter (IMCM), Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 136-791, Korea.
authors.forename: S Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multi-Convergence of Matter (IMCM), Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 136-791, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multi-Convergence of Matter (IMCM), Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 136-791, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Gu
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multi-Convergence of Matter (IMCM), Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 136-791, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Gwan
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon 305-340, Korea.
authors.forename: Sungjun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-713, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Chan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-713, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-713, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Wan
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim