Preparation and Lithium Storage Performances of Mesoporous Fe3O4@C Microcapsules

Fe3O4@C microcapsules were prepared using carbon-coated alpha-FeOOH nanorods as precursors, which were synthesized via two-step hydrothermal reactions. During the subsequent sintering procedure, alpha-FeOOH was reduced to Fe3O4 by carbon, accompanied by the formation of mesopores. In Fe3O4@C microcapsules, mesoporous Fe3O4 nanorods are coated with amorphorous carbon layers. The Fe3O4/C composites with such special structures demonstrate high specific capacity and good cyclic stability as anode materials in Li test cells.