Scalable method for preparing multi-walled carbon nanotube supported red phosphorus nanoparticles as anode material in lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Nanoscale red phosphorus (RP) has attracted plenty of interest as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, current methods for preparing RP nanocomposite are energy intensive and dangerous. Here, we report a scalable method for preparing multi-walled carbon nanotube supported RP nanoparticles (RP NPs/MWNT) composite. RP lump is dissolved in ethylenediamine. Then RP NPs were generated after adding HCl. Through this environmentally safe and low energy-consumption method, uniform RP NPs (5 nm) are deposited on MWNT, forming RP NPs/MWNT composite. Such small RP particles buffer volume expansion and MWNT accelerates electron transfer during cycling, therefore enabling RP NPs/MWNT to deliver a high initial reversible capacity of 1780.2 mAh g−1 and a high capacity retention of 88.6% at 200 mA g−1 after 100 cycles. Our method can be applied to synthesizing various RP nanocomposites for LIBs and is easy to set up, inexpensive, rapid, accessible to factory.