Preparing micro/nano dumbbell-shaped CeO2 for high performance electrode materials

Abstract

Micro/nano dumbbell-shaped CeO2 with hierarchical nanorods were prepared via a low temperature reaction followed by calcination in air. No any surfactant or template was introduced. The morphologies of the as-prepared samples were characterized by SEM, TEM and HRTEM. Structure informations were obtained by using XRD and XPS. It was found that alcohol was a critical factor in determining the final dumbbell-shaped structure. The reaction mechanism was proposed based on the combination of Ostwald ripening and oriented attachment. EIS and charge-discharge test were carried out by using the as-prepared CeO2 as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The initial discharge specific capacity was 1369 mAh g−1 and stabilized reversibly at about 590 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles. The electrochemical performances of the micro/nano dumbbell-shaped CeO2 particles were obviously improved compared to the commercial CeO2 bulky particles. This exploring about micro/nano materials may direct a new generation of Li-ion battery materials.