In situ study of Magnesiothermic reduction (MgTR)

SiOx is one of the most promising materials to increase the capacity of anodes for next-generation Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs), with theoretical storage capacities of up to 2400 mAhg-1. However, the stability and storage capacity of SiOx anodes depends on its oxygen content, and therefore the development of synthesis routes for the controlled synthesis of SiOx compounds with tailored oxygen content is imperative. MagnesioThermic reduction (MgTR) has been pinpointed as a scalable method to produce SiOx from Mg and SiO2 using much lower temperatures (500-950ºC) than conventional methods. However, synthesis temperature, reaction time and stoichiometry of the reactants strongly affect reaction pathways and prevents the controlled synthesis of SiOx compounds with adjusted oxygen content. Hence, in situ analysis of the MgTR via X-ray diffraction is critical to design an effective strategy for the synthesis of high-performance SiOx electrodes for LIBs.