| abstract |
An electrode comprising: (a) carbon nanoparticles in an amount of 10 to 75% by weight; (b) metalloid particles in an amount between 10% by weight and 90% by weight, where the metalloid particles comprise boron, silicon, germanium, tellurium or one of their combinations or alloys, where said metalloid particles are in nanoparticle form; (c) a surfactant that bonds said carbon nanoparticles to said metalloid particles to form an electrode composition, wherein the surfactant comprises one of a sulfate group, a sulfonate group, a pyridinium group, and an ammonium group; (d) a binder in an amount of from 0.5 to 30% by weight of the final electrode composition to form said electrode composition into a film or membrane; wherein said electrode is an anode and has a specific capacity of at least 450 mAh/g of active material when cycled at a 10hr charge and 10hr discharge rate of 0.1C, wherein the active materials are metalloid particles in combination with carbon nanoparticle materials. |