Straightforward Approach toward SiO2 Nanospheres and Their Superior Lithium Storage Performance

SiO 2 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 SiO 2 powder has good uniform nanospheres with an average diameter of 400 nm. The SiO 2 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, Li 2 O, and Li 4 SiO 4 matrixes acting as a shielding layer, hence improving the lithium storage performance. In short, the discussed results suggest that SiO 2 nanosphere is a promising anode material to improve the electrochemical performances for lithium-ion batteries.