Straightforward approach toward SiO₂ nanospheres and their superior lithium storage performance

SiO₂ nanospheres were prepared according to a straightforward approach and evaluated as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The morphologies display that the obtained amorphous SiO₂ powder has good uniform nanospheres with an average diameter of 400 nm. The SiO₂ anode shows an initial charge capacity of 622.1 mAh g^-1, and it still remains at 876.7 mAh g^-1 even at a rate of 1 C over 500 cycles, showing a certain degree of increase. It can be considered that the superior performances are attributed to the partial generated Si, Li₂O, and Li₄SiO₄ matrixes acting as a shielding layer, hence improving the lithium storage performance. In short, the discussed results suggest that SiO₂ nanosphere is a promising anode material to improve the electrochemical performances for lithium-ion batteries.