Novel binder-free carbon anode for high capacity Li-ion batteries

Novel binder-free, high capacity carbon-based anodes were manufactured using Virtual Cathode Deposition technique in an industrially scalable process. The deposition process transformed a commercial graphite target material into a novel carbon polymorph coating, which was used as Li-ion battery anode. Such anodes displayed first cycle specific capacity of ~1250 mAh g^-1 and retained a capacity of more than 900 mAh g^-1 at 0.1 C rate and more than 600 mAh g^-1 at 0.5 A g^-1 rate during cycling. Coulombic efficiencies above 99.5% were attained for 500 cycles. The anodes showed excellent volumetric (>1400 Ah L^-1) and areal capacity (~4.5 mAh cm^-2). Detailed structural characterisation revealed controllably induced packing polymorphism and high surface area (~2100 m² g^-1). The hierarchical architecture of the coatings was composed predominantly of meso- and macro-pores observed in a disordered carbon matrix encompassing nano-sized sp²-clusters (average size ~ 15–20 nm) cross-linked by a network of sp³-bonded atomic sites. A growth model based on the subsurface implantation mechanism was adopted to explain the formation of this unique structure responsible for the measured high specific capacity and good Coulombic efficiency.