Conformal graphene cage encapsulated battery electrode materials and methods of forming thereof
A conformal graphene-encapsulated battery electrode material is formed by: (1) coating a battery electrode material with a metal catalyst to form a metal catalyst-coated battery electrode material; (2) growing graphene on the metal catalyst-coated battery electrode material to form a graphene cage encapsulating the metal catalyst-coated battery electrode material; and (3) at least partially removing the metal catalyst to form a void inside the graphene cage.
1. A method of forming a conformal graphene-encapsulated material, comprising:
coating a battery electrode material with a metal catalyst to form a metal catalyst-coated battery electrode material, wherein coating the battery electrode material with the metal catalyst includes performing electroless deposition of the metal catalyst on the battery electrode material;
growing graphene on the metal catalyst-coated battery electrode material to form a graphene cage encapsulating the metal catalyst-coated battery electrode material; and
at least partially removing the metal catalyst to form a void inside the graphene cage.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal catalyst is nickel.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein growing the graphene includes exposing the metal catalyst-coated battery electrode material to a carbon-containing source, followed by performing carburization and annealing.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein annealing is performed at a temperature in the range of 200° C. to 600° C.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein exposing the metal catalyst-coated battery electrode material to the carbon-containing source includes disposing the metal catalyst-coated battery electrode material in a solution of the carbon-containing source.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the metal catalyst is through the graphene cage.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the metal catalyst is via an etchant.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery electrode material includes silicon.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery electrode material is provided as at least one particle having a dimension in the range of 200 nm to 10 μm.