Preparation and energy storage properties of polyacrylonitrile-based Si/C/carbon nanotube composite carbon nanofiber membrane

In order to overcome volume expansion in energy storage process of silicon materials, electrospinning technology was used to prepare polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/Si/Fe composite nano-fiber(NFs) membrane, which was deposited on the composite NFs by chemical vapor deposition method for growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Carbonization took place afterwards at 800 ℃ to obtain PAN-based Si/C/CNTs composite carbon nanofiber(CNFs)membrane. The structure and properties of composite CNFs membrane were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer and thermogravimetric analyzer. The fabricated membrane was used in the negative electrode of lithium ions battery, and the corresponding electrochemical performance test was carried out. The results show that with the catalyst of 15% FeSO4 (compared to PAN) in spinning solution, a unique caterpillar structure composite CNFs membrane appears which effectively improves the electrochemical performance of the battery. It has an initial specific discharge capacity of 2 067.9 mA•h/g, and it still maintains a specific discharge capacity of 851.2 mA•h/g after 400 cycles, with a capacity decay rate per cycle being only 0.15%. © 2021, Periodical Agency of Journal of Textile Research. All right reserved.