Abstract
We report chemical melting deposition (CMD), a manufacturing strategy designed to overcome the low mass loading and weak interfacial bonding inherent to vapor-based synthesis. Unlike conventional vapor routes, CMD leverages a transient liquid-phase transfer (TLPT) mechanism driven by the differential thermal degradation of carrier fibers to transfer and anchor nanoparticles directly onto target fibers. This process thermodynamically drives the wetting and interfacial fusion of nanoparticles, establishing a liquid-phase contact pathway that enables markedly higher active material loading. To validate the structural resilience of this fused architecture against extreme volumetric stress, we utilized lead oxide (PbO) as a model system, which typically suffers from catastrophic volume expansion (∼233%) in lithium-ion batteries. Mechanistic studies reveal robust and tunable particle–fiber attachment governed by CMD parameters, enabling optimized structural stability and electrochemical performance. The resulting PbO–carbon nanofiber (CNF) composite anode features a strain-accommodating hierarchical architecture via a self-buffering matrix, delivering a specific capacity of 466.8 mAh·g–1 at 200 mA·g–1 (∼1.2C) over 250 cycles, nearly doubling that of bare CNFs (235.3 mAh·g–1). These findings establish CMD as a highly versatile, liquid-phase manufacturing platform with implications extending far beyond conventional energy storage systems. This broadly applicable route provides a versatile methodology for designing high-loading, structurally integrated nanocomposites for diverse mechanically demanding applications, including advanced catalysis, sensors, and energy storage.
Recommended Citation
H. Pham et al., "Liquid-Phase Chemical Melting Deposition for Anchored Nanoparticle–Nanofiber Architectures," ACS Applied Nano Materials, vol. 9, no. 19, pp. 9009 - 9022, American Chemical Society, May 2026.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.6c01148
Department(s)
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Publication Status
Open Access
Keywords and Phrases
anchored nanoparticles; chemical melting deposition; dual-extrusion electrospinning; lithium-ion battery anodes; metal oxide/carbon composite
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
2574-0970
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2026 American Chemical Society, All rights reserved.
Creative Commons Licensing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Publication Date
15 May 2026
