Si–containing Carbon Composite Pillars Developed via Light–Induced Self–Writing

We report here the fabrication of Si-containing carbon pillars for Li-ion battery anodes using a processing technique known as Light-Induced Self-Writing (LISW). An array of optical beams generated using a photomask elicits the growth of vertically-aligned polymer pillars in nanoparticle-containing monomer mixtures. Simultaneously, we direct the Si nanoparticles to the outer walls of the polymer pillars based on established principles of nanoparticle phase-behavior during the LISW process. This concurrent structure growth and controlled nanoparticle distribution yields Si-decorated polymer pillars, which, upon pyrolysis, demonstrate promise as Li-ion battery anodes. Specifically, the composite pillar anodes demonstrate improved cycling stability over a standard planar electrode. This materials fabrication technique can be extended to other nanoparticle-monomer mixtures for other important applications such as chemical and gas sensing, cell-growth, and droplet manipulation.