Conformal Fe3O4 Sheath on Aligned Carbon Nanotube Scaffolds as High-Performance Anodes for Lithium Ion Batteries

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 13; no. 2; pp. 818 - 823
• Main Authors: Wu, Yang, Wei, Yang, Wang, Jiaping, Jiang, Kaili, Fan, Shoushan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 13.02.2013
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electrochemical conversion: primary and secondary batteries, fuel cells; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanotubes; Physics; anode; magnetron sputtering; carbon nanotube; Iron oxide; lithium ion battery; Lithium battery; Electrical conductivity; Magnetite; Composite materials; Physical vapor deposition; Carbon nanotubes; Electrode material; Arrays; Nanostructured materials; Environmental protection
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl3046409

A uniform Fe3O4 sheath is magnetron sputtered onto aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) scaffolds that are directly drawn from CNT arrays. The Fe3O4–CNT composite electrode, with the size of Fe3O4 confined to 5–7 nm, exhibits a high reversible capacity over 800 mAh g–1 based on the total electrode mass, remarkable capacity retention, as well as high rate capability. The excellent performance is attributable to the superior electrical conductivity of CNTs, the uniform loading of Fe3O4 sheath, and the structural retention of the composite anode on cycling. As Fe3O4 is inexpensive and environmentally friendly, and the synthesis of Fe3O4–CNT is free of chemical wastes, this composite anode material holds considerable promise for high-performance lithium ion batteries.