Facile synthesis and electrochemical properties of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles/ etched carbon nanotube composites as anode for lithium-ion batteries

alpha-Fe2O3 has gained interest as promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity. But, it suffers from low conductivity and high volume change. Herein, we have reported alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles/etched carbon nanotubes (ECNT) composites synthesized via oxidative etching of acidfunctionalized CNT. This study shows that incorporating the ECNT matrix can effectively mitigate the disadvantages of low conductivity and capacity fading associated with the alpha-Fe2O3 anode material. Besides, ECNT provides better accessibility of the electrolyte along with higher active sites for Li+ ion interactions due to open ends, lateral defects, and porous nature. Li+ ion interactions for different composites are also studied here. Excellent rate capability, high capacity, and high stability of anode are achieved due to the synergistic effect of alpha-Fe2O3 and ECNT network. This study shows an effective design strategy of high-performance alpha-Fe2O3 based anode for lithium-ion batteries.

Automated summary

The study introduces alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles/etched carbon nanotubes (ECNT) composites synthesized via oxidative etching of acid-functionalized CNT as a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The incorporation of ECNT matrix effectively mitigates the low conductivity and capacity fading issues associated with alpha-Fe2O3, providing better accessibility of the electrolyte and higher active sites for Li+ ion interactions. The synergistic effect of alpha-Fe2O3 and ECNT network leads to excellent rate capability, high capacity, and stability of the anode.