| abstract |
A composite particle comprises a first particle component and a second particle component in which (a) the first particle component comprises a body portion 2 and a surface portion 3, the surface portion comprising one or more structural features and one or more voids 5, the surface portion and body portion defining together a structured particle 1; and (b) the second particle component comprises a removable filler 4. One or both of the body portion 2 and the surface portion 3 comprise an active material, preferably an electroactive material. The filler 4 is contained within one or more of the voids 5 found within the surface portion of the structured particle 1. The filler 4 either has a sublimation or disintegration temperature of at least 50ºC, and/or is soluble in an ionic liquid or an electrolyte solution. The first particle component may be a pillared particle as shown, a porous particle (fig. 2), including fibres (fig. 4), wires, threads, tubes, flakes or ribbons, a porous particle fragment or fractal (fig. 3), or a scaffold structure (fig. 5). The filler 4 protects the structured particle 1, especially during storage/transport, by preventing it from breaking up due to its inherent weakness caused by the voids 5. The filler 4 is chosen so that it can be removed during the manufacture of an article using the structured particle 1. Various applications for the structured particle are disclosed, but it is preferably used as an electrode material. |