Plasma phosphorization of self-adaptive electrode Cu3P@RGO for lithium ion storage

Abstract

High-capacity electrode material is of great significance to further improve the energy density of lithium-ion batteries (LIB). Phosphorus (P) is a promising candidate for anode material due to its high theoretical capacity and low cost. However, the large volume expansion and poor conductivity restrict the practical application. Transition-metal phosphides hybrid with lamellar graphene oxide are recognized as an ideal structure to resolve these issues. Preparation of phosphides is always of great challenge with severe reaction conditions. Herein, a mild phosphorization process in low temperature plasma has been developed to synthesize lamellar Cu3P@RGO nanostructures at only 200 °C for 40 min. The in situ phosphatized Cu foam is a self-adaptive electrode without any conductive additives. Attributed to the unique architecture, the Cu3P@RGO electrode reveal a high initial coulombic efficiency of >80% and excellent long-cycling performance at a high current density of 500 mA/g (2330 mAh/g after 183 cycles).