Preparation of nano-structured LiFePO4/graphene composites by co-precipitation method

Graphene materials with superior electrical conductivities and high surface area would be advantageous for application in energy storage. And LiFePO4 has been a promising electrode material however its poor conductivity limits its practical application. To improve the electronic conductivity, we prepare LiFePO4/graphene composites in a co-precipitation method, in which graphene nanosheets are used as additives. The composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and their electrochemical properties were investigated by galvanostatic charge and discharge tests. The experimental results show that the capacity delivery and cycle performances of LiFePO4 could be improved considerably by adding graphene. Therefore, LiFePO4/graphene composites are a promising candidate for lithium secondary batteries. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.