Preparation and Lithium Storage Performance of Silicon and Carbon Microrods by Chemical Vapor Co-Deposition¹

Abstract—Silicon/carbon microrods are co-deposited on copper substrate and graphite spheres surface using dimethyl dichlorosilance as carbon and silicon precursor. The obtained composites are characterized by X‑ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results show that silicon/carbon microrods deposited on the copper substrate, whose diameter is about 500 nm, are accumulated into sisal-like morphology, those deposited on the graphite spheres surface form hedgehog-like feature, whose diameter is about 200 nm and whose top is like cauliflower. When current density of 50 mA/g is applied, charge capacity of silicon/carbon microrods is 1492 mA h/g (deposited on copper substrate) and 693 mA h/g (deposited on the graphite spheres surface). Moreover, silicon/carbon microrods deposited on the graphite spehres and copper substrate respectively deliver the capacity of 592, 985 mA h/g, and display no capacity decay at all after the 20 cycles, when cycled under current density of 500 mA/g.