LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES WITH NANOSTRUCTURED ELECTRODES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF MAKING

1 . A method for producing an anode for a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:

providing a substrate, including a metallic material, having a nucleation layer grown thereon; and

forming a plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures on a surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

providing the substrate includes growing the nucleation layer on the substrate at a first temperature; and

forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition at a second temperature different than the first temperature.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template at a temperature greater than about 40° C.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming a plurality of freestanding conductive nanoneedles on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming a plurality of tin nanoneedles on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming a plurality of tin nanoneedles on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template; and

the metallic material of the substrate includes copper with surface copper oxide (Cu 2 O).

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures over 1% or more of the surface of the nucleation layer.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming a plurality of freestanding conductive nanoneedles.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming a plurality of tin nanoneedles individually having a base and a tip, wherein the individual ones of the plurality of tin nanoneedles are about 2 μm to about 5 μm in length between the base and the tip, about 20 nm to about 50 nm in width at the tip, and about 50 nm to about 200 nm in width at the base.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures directly on the nucleation layer of the substrate.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting at least one of a deposition temperature, a deposition current density, a chemical composition of a deposition electrolyte, or agitation during the electrodeposition effective to form the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures on the surface of the nucleation layer.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising growing the nucleation layer on a surface of the substrate.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein growing the nucleation layer on a surface of the substrate includes growing the nucleation layer as a film.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein growing the nucleation layer as a film includes growing the film to exhibit a thickness of about 1 μm to about 10 μm.

15 . A method for producing an anode for a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:

preparing a surface of a substrate including a metallic material;

growing a nucleation layer on the surface of the substrate; and

forming a plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures directly on a surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein preparing the surface of the substrate includes at least one of polishing the substrate, treating the substrate with a basic solution, or treating the substrate with an acidic solution.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding conductive nanostructures over 1% or more of the surface of the nucleation layer.

18 . A method for producing an anode for a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:

growing a nucleation film on a surface of a substrate, wherein the nucleation film has a film thickness of about 1 μm to about 10 μm, and wherein the substrate includes copper; and

forming a plurality of freestanding tin-containing nanostructures directly on the surface of the nucleation layer via electrodeposition without using a template.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein forming a plurality of freestanding tin-containing nanostructures includes forming the plurality of freestanding tin-containing nanostructures individually to have a base and a tip, wherein the individual ones of the plurality of freestanding tin-containing nanostructures are about 2 μm to about 5 μm in length between the base and the tip, about 20 nm to about 50 nm in width at the tip, and about 50 nm to about 200 nm in width at the base.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising adjusting at least one of a deposition temperature, a deposition current density, a chemical composition of a deposition electrolyte, or agitation during the electrodeposition effective to form the plurality of freestanding tin-containing nanostructures on the surface of the nucleation layer.