title: Self-Volatilization Approach to Mesoporous Carbon Nanotube/Silver Nanoparticle Hybrids: The Role of Silver in Boosting Li Ion Storage.
abstract: One of the biggest challenging issues of carbon nanomaterials for Li ion batteries (LIBs) is that they show low initial Coulombic efficiency (CE), leading to a limited specific capacity. Herein, we demonstrate a simple template self-volatilization strategy for in situ synthesis of mesoporous carbon nanotube/Ag nanoparticle (NP) hybrids (Ag-MCNTs) to boost the LIBs' performance. The key concept of Ag-MCNTs for enhancing LIBs is that a small trace of Ag NPs on MCNTS can greatly restrict the formation of a thicker solid electrolyte interphase film, which has been well verified by both transmission electron microscopy results and quantum density functional theory calculations, leading to the highest initial CE in all the reported carbon nanomaterials. This uncovered property of Ag NPs from Ag-MCNTs makes them exhibit a very high reversible capacity of 1637 mAh g(-1) after 400 discharge/charge cycles at 100 mA g(-1), approximately 5 times higher than the theoretical value of a graphite anode (372 mAh g(-1)), excellent rate capability, and long cycle life.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Haoxuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, and Beijing Key Laboratory for Theory and Technology of Advanced Battery Materials, College of Engineering, Peking University , Beijing, 100871, China.
authors.forename: Shaojun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yanjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Honglai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chunzhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: Ag nanoparticle; Coulombic efficiency; carbon nanotube; lithium ion battery; solid electrolyte interphase