Abstract

In this study, transition metal coated carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were synthesized and applied as anode materials of Li secondary batteries. CNFs/Ni foam was immersed into 0.01M transition metal solutions after growing CNFs on Ni foam via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Transition metal coated CNFs/Ni foam was dried in an oven at 80°C. Morphologies, compositions, and crystal quality of CNFs-transition metal composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy (Raman), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Electrochemical characteristics of CNFs-transition metal composites as anodes of Li secondary batteries were investigated using a three-electrode cell. Transition metal/CNFs/Ni foam was directly employed as a working electrode without any binder. Lithium foil was used as both counter and reference electrodes while 1M LiClO4 was employed as the electrolyte after it was dissolved in a mixture of propylene carbonate:ethylene carbonate (PC:EC) at 1:1 volume ratio. Galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling and cyclic voltammetry measurements were taken at room temperature using a battery tester. In particular, the capacity of the synthesized CNFs-Fe was improved compared to that of CNFs. After 30 cycles, the capacity of CNFs-Fe was increased by 78%. Among four transition metals of Fe, Cu, Co and Ni coated on carbon nanofibers, the retention rate of CNFs-Fe was the highest at 41%. The initial capacity of CNFs-Fe with 670mAh/g was reduced to 275mAh/g after 30 cycles.

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