Integrated Design of Silkworm‐Chrysalis‐Net‐Like Fe3O4/rGO/Mesoporous Carbon Composites as a High‐Performance Anode Material for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

• Published in: ChemNanoMat : chemistry of nanomaterials for energy, biology and more biology and more, 2022-03, Vol.8 (3), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Yin, Yan, Ma, Cheng, Cai, Wen‐Di, Qiao, Wen‐Ming, Ling, Li‐Cheng, Wang, Ji‐Tong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: graphene oxide; lithium-ion battery; nano-Fe3O4; outer carbon layer
• ISSN: 2199-692X; 2199-692X
• DOI: 10.1002/cnma.202100490

Iron‐based oxides are ideal candidates for a new generation of lithium‐ion battery (LIB) anode materials owing to their high theoretical capacity and abundance, low cost, and non‐toxicity. However, the shortcomings of nanoparticle agglomerations with low electrical conductivity, volume expansion, and easy powdering during the cycling process hinder their commercialization. Herein, a silkworm‐chrysalis‐net‐like (SCN) Fe3O4/rGO/mesoporous carbon nano‐architecture composite was prepared by combining an in‐situ sol‐gel coating strategy and a one‐step hydrothermal reaction process. The overall microstructure of the electrode material with a unique SCN structure could effectively create a synergistic effect to enhance the electrochemical performance. As a result, the capacity of rGO‐Fe‐C0.5 could reach 916.4 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.5 A g−1, and slow capacity attenuation of 0.033% per cycle after 500 cycles at 2 A g−1 was achieved. This work provides new insights into the design of Fe3O4 based composite for application in lithium‐ion batteries. Biomimetic silkworm‐chrysalis‐net‐like Fe3O4/rGO/mesoporous carbon nano‐architecture composites were prepared facilely via in‐situ sol‐gel coating and a one‐step hydrothermal reaction. The rGO substrate, outer carbon layer and nano‐Fe3O4 can exert their respective merits and promote their synthetic effects, which greatly improves the stability of electrode and exhibiting excellent electrochemical performance in lithium‐ion batteries as anode electrode.