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One‐Pot Synthesis of Pomegranate‐Structured Fe 3 O 4 /Carbon Nanospheres‐Doped Graphene Aerogel for High‐Rate Lithium Ion Batteries
Author(s) -
He Dafang,
Li Lixian,
Bai Fengjuan,
Zha Chenyang,
Shen Liming,
Kung Harold H.,
Bao Ningzhong
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201504429
Subject(s) - aerogel , graphene , materials science , oxide , lithium (medication) , carbon fibers , anode , composite number , chemical engineering , nanocrystal , nanotechnology , composite material , electrode , chemistry , metallurgy , medicine , endocrinology , engineering
A unique hierarchically nanostructured composite of iron oxide/carbon (Fe 3 O 4 /C) nanospheres‐doped three‐dimensional (3D) graphene aerogel has been fabricated by a one‐pot hydrothermal strategy. In this novel nanostructured composite aerogel, uniform Fe 3 O 4 nanocrystals (5–10 nm) are individually embedded in carbon nanospheres (ca. 50 nm) forming a pomegranate‐like structure. The carbon matrix suppresses the aggregation of Fe 3 O 4 nanocrystals, avoids direct exposure of the encapsulated Fe 3 O 4 to the electrolyte, and buffers the volume expansion. Meanwhile, the interconnected 3D graphene aerogel further serves to reinforce the structure of the Fe 3 O 4 /C nanospheres and enhances the electrical conductivity of the overall electrode. Therefore, the carbon matrix and the interconnected graphene network entrap the Fe 3 O 4 nanocrystals such that their electrochemical function is retained even after fracture. This novel hierarchical aerogel structure delivers a long‐term stability of 634 mA h g −1 over 1000 cycles at a high current density of 6 A g −1 (7 C), and an excellent rate capability of 413 mA h g −1 at 10 A g −1 (11 C), thus exhibiting great potential as an anode composite structure for durable high‐rate lithium‐ion batteries.