Tamarind seed polysaccharide biopolymer-assisted synthesis of spinel zinc iron oxide as a promising alternate anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Transition metal ferrites such as ZnFe2O4 and tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) biopolymer-assisted ZnFe2O4 nanostructures were successfully synthesized by simple sol–gel method and characterized for physico-chemical, electrochemical, and electrical properties by several experimental techniques. The phase purity of both spinel was estimated from the XRD and EDAX analysis. Addition of TSP resulted in a homogenous dispersion of spherical nanoparticles over the surface of the sample and prevents the agglomeration of the same. Further, TSP incorporation improved the electrical properties of the ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles and enhanced its specific capacity (213 mA hg− 1) with an appreciable capacity retention ratio. Both the spinel ferrites demonstrated the good cycling stability even at higher sweep rates. Noteworthy, biopolymer-assisted synthesis of ZnFe2O4 is an excellent desirable anode material toward the futuristic sustainable battery technology.