Interfacial anchoring effect for enhanced lithium storage performance of sesame balls-like Fe3O4/C hollow nanospheres

Abstract

In this paper, hollow mesoporous carbon nanospheres (HMCNs) are used as the growth skeleton. Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) with a diameter of 10 nm grow in situ on the shell of HMCNs to form a new type of sesame balls-like Fe3O4/C hollow nanospheres (HNSs) by thermal decomposition reaction. The Fe3O4/C HNSs display great cycling stability as anode material in lithium ion battery. At a current density of 1 A g−1, the reversible specific capacity of Fe3O4/C HNSs is as high as 946 mA h g−1 after 250 cycles. Compared with pure Fe3O4 NPs, the electrochemical properties of the Fe3O4/C HNSs are significantly improved. The anchoring of Fe3O4 NPs on the shell of HMCNs can avoid the aggregation of Fe3O4 NPs, increase the lithiation sites, and accelerate the rapid migration of Li ions. In addition, the framework of Fe3O4/C HNSs, i.e. HMCNs, can promote the conductivity of composite and boost the delivery of electron. This notion and expedient method of construction can be broadened to synthesize other hollow nanostructured material with preferable electrochemistry performance.