Biomineralized multifunctional magnetite/carbon microspheres for applications in Li-ion batteries and water treatment

Advanced functional materials incorporating well-defined multiscale architectures are a key focus for multiple nanotechnological applications. However, strategies for developing such materials, including nanostructuring, nano-/microcombination, hybridization, and so on, are still being developed. Here, we report a facile, scalable biomineralization process in which Micrococcus lylae bacteria are used as soft templates to synthesize 3D hierarchically structured magnetite (Fe3O4) microspheres for use as Li-ion battery anode materials and in water treatment applications. Self-assembled Fe3O4 microspheres with flower-like morphologies are systematically fabricated from biomineralized 2D FeO(OH) nanoflakes at room temperature and are subsequently subjected to post-annealing at 400 °C. In particular, because of their mesoporous properties with a hollow interior and the improved electrical conductivity resulting from the carbonized bacterial templates, the Fe3 O4 microspheres obtained by calcining the FeO(OH) in Ar exhibit enhanced cycle stability and rate capability as Li-ion battery anodes, as well as superior adsorption of organic pollutants and toxic heavy metals.