Nanohybrids of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and cobalt ferrite nanoparticles: High performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

The prerequisite for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is an electrode material that offers high electric conductivity, fast ion transport, and large surface area. Monodispersed cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles have been successfully assembled on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by an ultra-sonication assisted route at room temperature. The dispersion has been carried out through a dispersive media (i.e. Toluene) for the formation of (MWCNTs)x/CoFe2O4 nanohybrids. These (MWCNTs)x/CoFe2O4 nanohybrids exhibit excellent electrochemical performance at different current densities. As anode materials for LIBs, these (MWCNTs)x/CoFe2O4 nanohybrids deliver a high specific capacity of 1370 mAhg−1, which is much higher than CoFe2O4 (1060 mAhg−1) nanoparticles and superior cyclic stability (1015 mAhg−1) after 25 cycles at 0.2 C-rate. These MWCNTs serve as good electron conductors and volume buffers in improving the lithium performance of (MWCNTs)x/CoFe2O4 nanohybrids during the discharge and charge process. Furthermore, these nanohybrids have shown high rate capability (640 mAhg−1) at 2.0 A g-1 that returns to the initial capacity of 970 mAhg−1 at 0.1 A g-1 after 30 cycles with Columbic efficiency above 97%. This work offers an easy, large-scale, and low-cost route to produce high electrochemical performance anode materials for LIBs.