Superior Electrochemical Performance of Fe_2O_3 Nanoparticles Confined inside Carbon Nanotubes as Anode Materials for Lithium-ion Batteries

摘要

The hollow core of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be utilized for encapsulating and loading foreign matters, which opens a pathway for the exploration of electrochemistry within a confined one-dimensional interspace. In this paper, we report on the selective filling of Fe_2O_3 nano-particles into CNTs prepared by anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template method[l]. The electrochemical properties of the Fe_2O_3-filled CNTs in terms of serving as the anode material of lithium-ion batteries are investigated. Desirable cycling performance and rate capability are demonstrated. Besides, we prepared a series of Fe_2O_3/CNT hybrid material with different compositions and structures, and their electrochemical properties are studied systematically. Interestingly, the Fe_2O_3-filled CNTs delivered a high reversible capacity of 1092.3 mA h g~(-1) and excellent cycling stability (811.4 mA h g~(-1) after 100 cycles), which exhibited the superior electrochemical performance. The origin and mechanism of the enhanced performance of the Fe_2O_3 nanoparticles-filled CNT is analyzed, which can be attributed to the small size of the filled Fe_2O_3 particles, and the confinement effect and desired electrical conductivity of CNTs. Herein, the unique Fe_2O_3-filled CNTs can be a highly promising candidate for anode material of lithium ion batteries. And our work may provide a useful pathway for the design and preparation of various nanoarchitechtures in the applications of energy storage, catalysis,and other chemical areas.