Bimetallic coordination polymer composites: A new choice of electrode materials for lithium ion batteries

Coordination polymers (CPs) have shown promising potential as electrode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). However, their practical applications are plagued by poor cyclability and unsatisfactory rate performance. Herein, a composite, combining a novel Ce-Co bimetallic coordination polymer with cerium dioxide and graphene nanoplatelets (Ce-Co-CP/CeO2/G), is synthesized and applied as anode materials for LIBs. It is found that the addition of graphene can significantly enhance the conductivity of electrode material. Furthermore, the graphene nanoplatelets can act as a template for the formation of a lamellar morphology of Ce-Co-CP/CeO2/G, which is beneficial to shorten the pathway for Li+-ion migration and thus improves the electrochemical performance. Consequently, the charge capacity of the sample reaches 454.3 mAh/g after 100 cycles at a current of 100 mA/g. Even at a high current density of 1000 mA/g, it can still deliver a capacity of 196.2 mAh/g after 1000 cycles. This work shows a development potential of bimetallic CP materials as a candidate for electrode materials for the next-generation LIBs.