A green and fast strategy for the scalable synthesis of Fe2O3/graphene with significantly enhanced Li-ion storage properties

In this study, we proposed and demonstrated an environmentally friendly and effective methodology to prepare Fe2O3/graphene composites. The essence of this method was that ferrous ions could serve as both reductant and the iron source for Fe2O3, which is greener and more facile than the preparation methods for other iron oxide/graphene composites. As anode materials for lithium ion batteries, Fe2O3/graphene composites achieved high reversible capacities of about 800 mA h g(-1) after 100 cycles at a charge-discharge rate of 0.2 C. Moreover, they delivered rate capacities as high as 420 mA h g(-1) at a rate of 5 C. Both the cycling performance and rate capacities of Fe2O3/graphene composites were better than those of commercial Fe2O3 and its graphene composites. The improved performance toward the storage of Li+ was ascribed to graphene sheets, which acted as volume buffers and electron conductors. We believe that the strategy of preparing Fe2O3/graphene composites proposed by us may open a new way for the synthesis of metal oxide/graphene for various potential purposes.