Abstract
Here, we report that mesoporous hollow carbon spheres (HCS) can be simultaneously functionalized: (i) endohedrally by iron oxide nanoparticle and (ii) egzohedrally by manganese oxide nanorods (FexOy/MnO2/HCS). Detailed analysis reveals a high degree of graphitization of HCS structures. The mesoporous nature of carbon is further confirmed by N2 sorption/desorption and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies. The fabricated molecular heterostructure was tested as the anode material of a lithium-ion battery (LIB). For both metal oxides under study, their mixture stored in HCS yielded a significant increase in electrochemical performance. Its electrochemical response was compared to the HCS decorated with a single component of the respective metal oxide applied as a LIB electrode. The discharge capacity of FexOy/MnO2/HCS is 1091 mAhg−1 at 5 Ag–1, and the corresponding coulombic efficiency (CE) is as high as 98%. Therefore, the addition of MnO2 in the form of nanorods allows for boosting the nanocomposite electrochemical performance with respect to the spherical nanoparticles due to better reversible capacity and cycling performance. Thus, the structure has great potential application in the LIB field.
Highlights
Due to a deteriorating environmental situation, the development of balanced and clean energy resources is extremely important
The iron oxide nanoparticles were evenly distributed throughout the hollow carbon spheres, and their size was ~15 nm
The present data demonstrate a facile route for the synthesis of a nanocomposite consisting of hollow carbon spheres (HCS) and metal oxide hybrid material
Summary
Due to a deteriorating environmental situation (e.g., global warming, and the gradual depletion of oil and hard coal resources), the development of balanced and clean energy resources is extremely important. Transition metal oxides (TMOs) have recently found use as electrode material for energy storage devices including LIBs [10] These materials exhibit a large theoretical specific capacity and high working potential for LIBs Mesoporous carbon materials are characterized by a large specific surface area, which can reduce current density per area unit Another advantage is the thin walls shorten the diffusion paths. We present a facile synthesis method of hollow carbon nanospheres (HCS) with two stages of functionalization using transition metal oxides (iron oxides in the form of spherical nanoparticles and rod-like manganese dioxide) as advanced anode material for high-performance LIBs. The prepared FexOy/MnO2/HCS nanocomposite combines the advantages of empty carbon spheres, such as stability or adaptation to expanding volumes during the cycle, with a high specific capacity of transition metal oxides. The product was collected by filtration, washed two times with water and ethanol and dried at 80 ◦C in a vacuum for 24 h
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