Ultra-small Fe3O4 nanoparticle decorated graphene nanosheets with superior cyclic performance and rate capability

Advanced anode materials for next generation lithium ion batteries have attracted great interest due to the ever increasing demand for powerful, light-weight, and compact electrical devices. In this work, graphene nanosheets decorated with ultra-small Fe3O4 nanoparticles (USIO/G) were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method. Compared with other reported Fe3O4-based anode composites, USIO/G demonstrated superior cyclic ability and excellent rate capability owing to its ultra-small size of active lithium storage sites, Fe3O4, with an average diameter less than 5 nm. Furthermore, graphene nanosheets played an important role in the overall electrochemical performance of the composite by enhancing the electrical conductivity, forming a flexible network, and providing extra lithium storage sites. The obtained composites were tested for electrochemical performance for a total number of 2120 cycles: a rate capability test with current densities ranged from 90 to 7200 mA g(-1) for 920 cycles, followed by a cycling test at 1800 mA g(-1) for 1200 cycles. For the rate capability test, steady reversible capacities were delivered under each current density with final reversible capacities of 1177, 1096, 833, 488, 242, and 146 mA h g(-1) at 90, 180, 900, 1800, 3600, and 7200 mA g(-1), respectively. The subsequent cyclic test demonstrated the superior cyclic stability of USIO/G and a reversible capacity of 437 mA h g(-1) at the 2120(th) cycle was delivered.