LR and YW provided silica spheres for testing. QD provide Langmuir-Blodgett trough for film deposition. PH, GAJA and HZ participated in the study guidance and paper revision. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.”
“Background The current electrochemical-based energy

storage technology uses primarily activated carbon (AC) electrodes for their intended applications, which are indeed cost effective and scalable, but seriously lacks performance for higher specific capacity. Carbon nanostructures (CNSs) composed of CNT, graphene, and carbon nanofibers come with outstanding properties and are the most sought alternatives to replace AC materials but their synthesis cost makes them cost-prohibitive. Most importantly, using graphene or graphene oxide requires complex, tedious, and in some cases toxic QNZ mouse processes [1, 2]. In addition, some synthesis processes represent serious health concern [3–6]. Silicon has recently emerged as a strong candidate to replace existing graphite anodes due to its inherently large theoretical gravimetric PF-3084014 order specific capacity of ~4,200 mAh/g and low working potential at around 0.5 V. This is based on the formation of the Li4.4Si alloy, which is ten times higher than that of conventional carbon anodes (~372 mAh/g corresponding to the formation of LiC6) [7–12]. The use of silicon anodes in Li+ battery systems has been limited by rapid capacity degradation after

only a few charge-discharge cycles. The drastic volume change (larger than 300%) upon selective HDAC inhibitors lithium alloying/de-alloying reactions with Si commonly causes rapid decrease in reversible capacity and a continuous formation of the so-called solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) as a result of silicon pulverization. Although various advances employing porous silicon, silicon nanoparticles, and silicon-coated carbon nanofibers have been investigated, they have shown limited improvements

in cycling stability and capacity [13–20]. In these materials, a highly conductive porous carbon framework Ribonuclease T1 provides a mechanical support for Si nanoparticles and an electrical conducting pathway during the intercalation process of lithium ions. The poor capacity retention and low power density remain two unsolved challenges in silicon-based anode technologies. A recent research progress by Hui Wu et al. using double-walled silicon nanotube (DWSiNT) anodes for LIBs reported 6,000 electrochemical cycles, while retaining more than 85% of the initial capacity [21]. Although elaborated DWSiNT anode materials offer high specific capacity and excellent capacity retention that lasts far more what is needed by electric vehicles, the practical application is hampered because of the synthesis method used is costly and time consuming for the industry. In this manuscript, we report on the synthesis and use of carbon and hybrid carbon-silicon nanostructures made by a simplified thermomechanical milling process to produce low-cost high-energy lithium ion battery anodes.