Scalable fabrication of gold nanoparticles with adjustable size distribution as catalytic nuclei for the CVD growth of silicon nanowires

Gold nanoparticles were electrodeposited on carbon non-woven substrates from an acidic, alkaline free HAuCl4 electrolyte. The electrochemical behavior of the electrolyte was characterized by potentiostatic experiments. The deposition of the gold nanoparticles was performed by pulse plating, where the particles size distribution and surface coverage are adjusted by variation of the pulse parameters. A homogeneous surface coverage of 2.3 % with a mean diameter of the gold nanoparticles of about 54 nm is obtained. The electroplating process is scaled up to a substrate size of 150 cm². The gold nanoparticles are used as catalytic nuclei for the growth of Si-NW by VLS. Finally, the basic applicability of these Si-NW arrays as highly loaded anode for lithium ion batteries is demonstrated. The various reactions during (de)lithiation and their contribution to the anode capacity are identified, and performance features are exemplarily determined by halfcell tests of such a typical anode.