Supersonically sprayed Fe2O3/C/CNT composites for highly stable Li-ion battery anodes

Abstract A synthesized Fe2O3/C composite integrated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is deposited via cold spraying and used as a highly stable Li-ion battery anode. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the anode material confirms the coexistence of CNTs and mixed Fe2O3 phases (α and γ). Morphology and elemental mapping analyses are performed using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The Fe2O3/C/CNT composite presents the high discharge capacity of 1598 mA·h·g−1 at the current density of 100 mA·g−1. The anode exhibits excellent capacity retention values of 83% and 88% after 100 and 1000 charge–discharge cycles under current densities of 100 and 1000 mA·g−1, respectively. The electrochemical performance of the synthesized Fe2O3/C/CNT composite is superior to that of the Fe2O3/CNT composite prepared by mixing commercially available Fe2O3 and CNTs. This is attributed to the shorter diffusion path of the Li-ions in the relatively smaller Fe2O3 particles and faster charge transfer through the highly conductive CNTs.