Integrating transition metal into silicon/carbon anodes towards enhanced lithium storage

For lithium storage, the integration of transition metal into silicon/carbon anodes is very effective in improving the overall electrochemical performance of Si-based anodes. Herein, a hydrogel-derived pyrolysis route has been developed for uniformly integrating FeCo alloy into Si/graphene anodes, yielding homogeneous Si–M–C ternary materials. Specifically, particle-assembled FeCo alloy nanocube and commercial Si nanoparticle are uniformly immobilized within gel-derived graphene matrix, which is beneficial for fully realizing the hybridization merits from M/C dual matrices toward Si anodes. As a result, the Si/FeCo@G ternary framework exhibits higher initial Coulombic efficiency, long-term cycling stability (974 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.5 A g−1), and good rate performance (718 and 417 mA h g−1 at 5 and 10 A g−1, respectively). •Hydrogel-derived pyrolysis route toward uniform-distributed Si−M−C ternary anodes.•FeCo alloy cube and Si particle uniformly immobilized in gel-derived graphene matrix.•Enhanced lithium storage kinetics and performance of the Si/FeCo@G ternary anode.