The present invention relates to a process for preparing an
alloy composite negative
electrode material having a spherical
carbon matrix structure for
lithium ion batteries by spray-
drying carbothermal reduction. The invention covers a process for preparing a negative
electrode material for a
lithium ion battery with a general formula A-M / Carbon, wherein A is a
metal selected from the group consisting of Si, Sn, Sb, Ge and Al; and wherein M is different from A and is at least one element selected from the group consisting of B, Cr, Nb, Cu, Zr, Ag, Ni, Zn, Fe, Co, Mn, Sb, Zn, Ca, Mg, V, Ti, In, Al, Ge; and comprising the steps of: - providing a solution comprising an
organic polymer and either chemically reducible nanometric A- and M-precursor compounds, or nanometric Si and a chemically reducible M-precursor compound, when said
metal A is Si; - spray-
drying said solution whereby a A- and M-precursor bearing
polymer powder is obtained, and - calcining said
powder in a
neutral atmosphere at a temperature between 500 and 1000 DEG C for 3 to 10 hours whereby, in this carbothermal reduction, a
carbon matrix is obtained bearing homogeneously distributed A-M
alloy particles.