FeP@C Nanotube Arrays Grown on Carbon Fabric as a Low Potential and Freestanding Anode for High-Performance Li-Ion Batteries

An anode of self-supported FeP@C nanotube arrays on carbon fabric (CF) is successfully fabricated via a facile template-based deposition and phosphorization route: first, well-aligned FeOOH nanotube arrays are simply obtained via a solution deposition and in situ etching route with hydrothermally crystallized (Co,Ni)(CO3)(0.5)OH nanowire arrays as the template; subsequently, these uniform FeOOH nanotube arrays are transformed into robust carbon-coated Fe3O4 (Fe3O4@C) nanotube arrays via glucose adsorption and annealing treatments; and finally FeP@C nanotube arrays on CF are achieved through the facile phosphorization of the oxide-based arrays. As an anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), these FeP@C nanotube arrays exhibit superior rate capability (reversible capacities of 945, 871, 815, 762, 717, and 657 mA h g(-1) at 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.3, and 2.2 A g(-1), respectively, corresponding to area specific capacities of 1.73, 1.59, 1.49, 1.39, 1.31, 1.20 mA h cm(-2) at 0.18, 0.37, 0.732, 1.46, 2.38, and 4.03 mA cm(-2), respectively) and a stable long-cycling performance (a high specific capacity of 718 mA h g(-1) after 670 cycles at 0.5 A g(-1), corresponding to an area capacity of 1.31 mA h cm(-2) at 0.92 mA cm(-2)).