Anodized Ti₃SiC₂ As an Anode Material for Li-ion Microbatteries

We report on the synthesis of an anode material for Li-ion batteries by anodization of a common MAX phase, Ti3SiC2, in an aqueous electrolyte containing hydrofluoric acid (HF). The anodization led to the formation of a porous film containing anatase, a small quantity of free carbon, and silica. By varying the anodization parameters, various oxide morphologies were produced. The highest areal capacity was achieved by anodization at 60 V in an aqueous electrolyte containing 0.1 v/v HF for 3 h at room temperature. After 140 cycles performed at multiple applied current densities, an areal capacity of 380 μAh·cm(-2) (200 μA·cm(-2)) has been obtained, making this new material, free of additives and binders, a promising candidate as a negative electrode for Li-ion microbatteries.