Comparing one- and two-dimensional heteronanostructures as silicon-based lithium ion battery anode materials.

The performance of advanced energy conversion and storage devices, such as solar cells, supercapacitors, and lithium (Li) ion batteries, is intimately connected to the electrode design at the nanoscale. To enable significant developments in these research fields, we need detailed information about how the properties of the electrode materials depend on their dimensions and morphologies. This information is currently unavailable, as previous studies have mostly focused on understanding one type of morphology at a time. Here, we report a systematic study to compare the performance of nanostructures enabled by two platforms, one-dimensional nanowires and two-dimensional nanonets. The nanowires and nanonets shared the same composition (titanium disilicide) and similar sizes. Within the framework of Li ion battery applications, they exhibited different stabilities upon lithiation and delithiation (at a rate of 6 A/g), the nanonets-based nanostructures maintaining 90% and the nanowires-based ones 80% of their initial stable capacities after 100 cycles of repeated charge and discharge. The superior stability of the nanonets was ascribed to the two-dimensional connectivity, which afforded better structural stability than nanowires. Information generated by this study should contribute to the design of electrode materials and thereby enable broader applications of complex nanostructures for energy conversion and storage.