Abstract: A method of producing a solid powder mass, including (a) placing multiple conductive porous particles in a deposition zone of a reaction apparatus, equipped with a particle-moving device that mobilizes the porous particles around inside the deposition zone; (b) providing a stream of silicon halide vapor phase and directing the vapor phase to flow into the deposition zone, wherein the silicon halide is selected from SiF4, SiCl4, SiI4, SiI2, SiBr4, SiXaZb, or a combination thereof, wherein X and Z are each a halogen element, and a=1-3, b=1-3, and a +b=4; and (c) activating the particle-moving device and exposing the silicon halide vapor to a decomposition temperature to convert the silicon halide vapor into a halogen gas and Si atoms, allowing Si atoms to infiltrate into the pores of the porous particles and deposit therein as solid Si coatings, particles, and/or nanowires (SiNW).

Abstract: An apparatus for production of a solid powder mass, comprising: (A) a vaporization chamber for generating or maintaining a silicon halide vapor; (B) a thermal decomposition chamber for thermally decomposing the silicon halide vapor into Si atoms and halogen; (C) a deposition chamber, for receiving Si atoms and for holding multiple porous particles, and a heating device for heating the multiple porous particles disposed therein to facilitate deposition of Si atoms in the pores of the porous particles; and (D) a particle-moving device for mobilizing the multiple porous particles to move around in the deposition chamber to facilitate uniform infiltration and deposition of the Si atoms in pores of the porous particles to form silicon coatings, particles, and/or nanowires (SiNW) therein.