A Fe/Fe sub(3)O sub(4)/N-carbon composite with hierarchical porous structure and in situ formed N-doped graphene-like layers for high-performance lithium ion batteries

• Published in: Dalton transactions : an international journal of inorganic chemistry Vol. 44; no. 10; pp. 4594 - 4600
• Main Authors: Li, Yao, Meng, Qing, Zhu, Shen-min, Sun, Zeng-hui, Yang, Hao, Chen, Zhi-xin, Zhu, Cheng-ling, Guo, Zai-ping, Zhang, Di
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.02.2015
• Subjects: Carbon; Electrically conductive; Iron; Lithium-ion batteries; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure; Networks; Particulate composites
• ISSN: 1477-9226; 1477-9234
• DOI: 10.1039/c4dt03615h

A Fe/Fe sub(3)O sub(4)/N-carbon composite consisting of a porous carbon matrix containing a highly conductive N-doped graphene-like network and Fe/Fe sub(3)O sub(4) nanoparticles was prepared. The porous carbon has a hierarchical structure which is inherited from rice husk and the N-doped graphene-like network formed in situ. When used as an anode material for lithium batteries, the composite delivered a reversible capacity of approximately 610 mA h g super(-1) at a current density of 200 mA g super(-1) even after 100 cycles, due to the synergism between the unique hierarchical porous structures, highly electrically conductive N-doped graphene-like networks and nanosized particles of Fe/Fe sub(3)O sub(4). This work provides a simple approach to prepare N-doped porous carbon activated nanoparticle composites which could be used to improve the electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries.