Preparation of micro-porous membrane electrodes and their application in preparing anodes of rechargeable lithium batteries

A micro-porous membrane-based template was used to prepare micro-porous membrane alloy composite anode for lithium-ion batteries. The polymer polyacrylonitrile (PAN) micro-porous membrane was prepared on the Cu substrate by a phase inversion using both vapor and coagulating bath, successively, forming the micro-porous membrane electrode. Tin and copper were simultaneously electrodeposited in the pores of the micro-porous membrane electrode. After heat-treatment, the composite Sn–Cu alloy anode was obtained, while the PAN became conjugated conducting polymer. The micro-porous membrane presented the micro-pore size of ca. 900 nm and the porosity of 74.7%. The prepared composite anode exhibited a stable cycling performance for lithium storage. This paves a promising way to use micro-porous polymer membrane technique to prepare composite alloy anode for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.