Graphene nanonetwork embedded with polyaniline nanoparticles as anode of Li-ion battery

A simple and solvent-free approach is proposed to prepare graphene nanonetwork-polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposite with enhanced electrical conductivity and Li-ion storage performance. To this end, acidic graphene oxide (AGO) and PANI are ball-milled followed by low-temperature chemical expansion leading to the formation of chemically expanded graphene (CEG) in the form of mesoporous nanonetworks with the lattice layer spacing of 0.362 nm embedded with PANI nanoparticles. CEG-PANI nanocomposite outperforms CEG, exhibiting a specific reversible capacity of 664 mAh·g−1 at 200 mA·g−1 after 150 cycles, and the discharge capacity of 253 mAh·g−1 after 350 cycles at 2000 mA·g−1. The enhanced electrochemical performance of CEG-PANI can be attributed to its large specific surface area, mesoporous structure and conductive homogeneous graphene nanonetwork doped with of N heteroatoms embedded with polyaniline, providing sufficient active sites for facile Li-ion storage. Nanostructured CEG-PANI is a promising candidate for anode of Li-ion batteries.