A green and fast strategy for the scalable synthesis of Fe2O3/graphene with significantly enhanced Li-ion storage properties

Abstract

In this study, we proposed and demonstrated an environmentally friendly and effective methodology to prepare Fe₂O₃/graphene composites. The essence of this method was that ferrous ions could serve as both reductant and the iron source for Fe₂O₃, which is greener and more facile than the preparation methods for other iron oxide/graphene composites. As anode materials for lithium ion batteries, Fe₂O₃/graphene composites achieved high reversible capacities of about 800 mA h g⁻¹ after 100 cycles at a charge–discharge rate of 0.2 C. Moreover, they delivered rate capacities as high as 420 mA h g⁻¹ at a rate of 5 C. Both the cycling performance and rate capacities of Fe₂O₃/graphene composites were better than those of commercial Fe₂O₃ and its graphene composites. The improved performance toward the storage of Li⁺ was ascribed to graphene sheets, which acted as volume buffers and electron conductors. We believe that the strategy of preparing Fe₂O₃/graphene composites proposed by us may open a new way for the synthesis of metal oxide/graphene for various potential purposes.