Improvement of Lithium Storage Performance of Silica Anode by Using Ketjen Black as Functional Conductive Agent

In this paper, SiO(2) aerogels were prepared by a sol–gel method. Using Ketjen Black (KB), Super P (SP) and Acetylene Black (AB) as a conductive agent, respectively, the effects of the structure and morphology of the three conductive agents on the electrochemical performance of SiO(2) gel anode were systematically investigated and compared. The results show that KB provides far better cycling and rate performance than SP and AB for SiO(2) anode electrodes, with a reversible specific capacity of 351.4 mA h g(−1) at 0.2 A g(−1) after 200 cycles and a stable 311.7 mA h g(−1) at 1.0 A g(−1) after 500 cycles. The enhanced mechanism of the lithium storage performance of SiO(2)-KB anode was also proposed.