Formation and quantitative analysis of internal structure of Si nanoparticles developed via bead-milling

Amorphous silicon nanomaterial is isotropic on the macroscale and can effectively inhibit expansion/contraction during lithiation/delithiation processes, which remarkably improves cycle performance of Li-ion batteries. Bead-milling a simple, cost-effective, scalable method for manufacturing amorphous and/or crystalline nanoparticles. In this work, internal structure Si nanoparticles prepared by bead-milling was found to consist nanocrystalline as well oxide. X-ray diffraction patterns Raman spectra are used calculate average crystallite size estimate degree crystallization amorphization silicon. The quantitative analysis oxide carried out through x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization oxygen content measuring. It that particle (D50) were reduced 91 3.7 nm, respectively, from 4.06 μm 50.6 nm before bead-milling, increased 85.7% 7.38%, 37.5% 0.12% bead-milling. demonstrated longer milling time, smaller sizes particles crystals higher ratio phase. However, it inversely causes side-effects such increase in oxidization ZrO2 impurity.