The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Most of the reported S-doped Si/C composites exhibit sulfur doping that is unevenly distributed on the amorphous carbon layer surface or to have a thin carbon layer formed only on the particle surface, resulting in structural instability. To obtain composites with a uniformly S-doped carbon coating layer enveloping the entire particle, we designed a new synthesis route using spray drying with polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSS), a water-soluble polymer, as the precursor. Through spray drying followed by carbonization, S-doped carbon-coated silicon composites (Si/S-C) were synthesized. During carbonization, a polymer-derived carbon layer forms while sulfur atoms simultaneously doped, resulting in a structure with enhanced electrical conductivity and mechanical stability.