| abstract |
An active material 104 for use in electrochemical cells comprising a particulate material comprising; a structure 107 comprising silicon and having an external surface and a treatment layer covering at least a portion of the external surface comprising an amine functional group from one or more treatment materials wherein the materials comprise an amine based functional end and second functional end of a silane or amine group. The treatment layer may comprise aminopropyltriethoxysilane, aminopropylmethoxysilane, bis-gamma-trimethoxysilylpropyl amine, aminoneohexyltrimethoxysilane, aminoneohexylmethoxysilane, aminoundecyltriethoxysilane, amino-2-(dimethylethoxysilyl)propane, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropylsilanol, poly(ethyleneimine), poly(allylamine), poly(vinylamine), 1,3-diaminopropane, 1,4-diaminobutane, 1,5-diaminopentane, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine or pentaethylenehexamine. A composite which comprises the active material and a polymeric binder 106. A method of making the active material is also disclosed. Use of the active material in an electrode and a device using such an electrode are also provided. |