Nanocomposite of a nanoporous material and an active material and method of synthesizing thereof

Abstract

In an embodiment, an active material-based nanocomposite is synthesized by infiltrating an active material precursor into pores of a nanoporous carbon, metal or metal oxide material, and then annealing to decompose the active material precursor into a first gaseous material and an active material and/or another active material precursor infiltrated inside the pores. The nanocomposite is then exposed to a gaseous material or a liquid material to at least partially convert the active material and/or the second active material precursor into active material particles that are infiltrated inside the pores and/or to infiltrate a secondary material into the pores. The nanocomposite is again annealed to remove volatile residues, to enhance electrical contact within the active material-based nanocomposite composite and/or to enhance one or more structural properties of the nanocomposite. In a further embodiment, the pores may be further infiltrated with a filler material and/or may be at least partially sealed.

1 . An active material-based nanocomposite for using in an electrolyte-containing electrochemical energy storage device, comprising:
 a nanoporous carbon, metal, or metal oxide material;   active material particles infiltrated in pores of the nanoporous carbon, metal or metal oxide material; and   a filler material infiltrated in the pores separately from the active material particles and/or a sealing material that at least partially closes the pores,   wherein the active material particles comprise Fe, and   wherein the active material particles comprise from about 30 vol. % to about 96 vol. % of a total volume of the active material-based nanocomposite.   
     
     
         2 . A method of synthesizing an active material-based nanocomposite for an electrolyte-containing electrochemical energy storage device, comprising:
 infiltrating a first active material precursor into pores of a nanoporous carbon, metal or metal oxide material to produce the active material-based nanocomposite;   annealing the active material-based nanocomposite at a first temperature to at least partially remove excess material of the first active material precursor from an external surface of the active material-based nanocomposite;   annealing the active material-based nanocomposite at a second temperature to at least partially decompose the first active material precursor into a first gaseous material and an active material and/or a second active material precursor infiltrated inside the pores;   exposing the active material-based nanocomposite to a second gaseous material or a liquid material to at least partially convert the active material and/or the second active material precursor into active material particles that are infiltrated inside the pores and/or to infiltrate a secondary material into the pores; and   annealing the active material-based nanocomposite at a third temperature to remove volatile residues, to enhance electrical contact within the active material-based nanocomposite composite and/or to enhance one or more structural properties of the active material-based nanocomposite.