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Research article2016Peer reviewed

Pushing the theoretical capacity limits of iron oxide anodes: capacity rise of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles in lithium-ion batteries

Tang, Jialiang; Zavala Lugo, Claudia Edith; Acuña Guzmán, Salvador Francisco; Daniel, Geoffrey; Kessler, Vadim; Seisenbaeva, Gulaim; Pol, Vilas G.

Abstract

Nanoparticles (NPs) of g-Fe2O3 are successfully prepared via facile hydrolysis of a complex iron iodide precursor with subsequent oxidation under mild conditions. When evaluated as an anode material in lithium ion half-cells, electrodes made with gamma-Fe2O3 NPs exhibit excellent rate capabilities with high capacities and good coulombic efficiencies. Electrodes of gamma-Fe2O3 NPs initially deliver capacities of 1100 mA h g1 at 100 mA g1 current density and 980 mA h g1 at 1000 mA g1. Following an activation step of the electrodes, the capacities increase by up to 300 mA h g1 while coulombic efficiencies also improve slightly. At a high current density of 4000 mA g1, a stable capacity of 770 mA h g1 is achieved. In this study, dQ/dv plots are employed to graphically illustrate the capacity breakdown of each cycle into intercalation, conversion, and extra capacity regions. Upon prolonged cycling, the extra capacity region expands to yield higher capacities; this phenomenon has been attributed to both pulverizationinduced particle size reduction and high-rate lithiation-induced activation processes. This study concludes that gamma-Fe2O3 NPs could serve as a promising anode material with comparable results to widely studied alpha-Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 NPs.

Keywords

Li-ion batteries, anode materials, nanostructured electrode, electrochemical performance, thermal stability

Published in

Journal of Materials Chemistry A
2016, Volume: 4, number: 46, pages: 18107-18115

      SLU Authors

    • Daniel, Geoffrey

      • Department of Forest Products, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

      • Kessler, Vadim

        • The Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

        • Seisenbaeva, Gulaim

          • The Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

        UKÄ Subject classification

        Materials Chemistry
        Inorganic Chemistry
        Nano-technology

        Publication identifier

        DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c6ta08139h

        Permanent link to this page (URI)

        https://res.slu.se/id/publ/80508