Si-induced insertion of Li into SiC to form Li-rich SiC twin crystal

The energy density of Li-ion batteries is closely related to the capacity and average voltage of cathode materials. Unfortunately, current cathode materials either have low capacity or voltage, which limits the development of high-energy-density Li-ion batteries. This has given challenge to many attempts to develop new cathode materials with high capacity and voltage. In this study, we find that Li easily inserts into the (111) plane of SiC in the presence of Si, and a well-organized Li-rich SiC twin crystal is formed. Ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectra and electrochemical test results suggest that this Li-rich SiC twin crystal possesses the band gap energy of 3.5 eV and charging capacity of 1979 mAh/g at the current density of 200 mA/g, making it a promising candidate for the cathode material in high-capacity Li-ion batteries. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results reveal that Si-induced Li insertion contributes to the changes in the surface species and structure of pristine SiC. These findings suggest that the Li-rich SiC twin crystal raises new possibilities for the development of high-capacity cathode materials and merits further investigation to expand its application scope.