Fe3O4/reduced graphene oxide with enhanced electrochemical performance towards lithium storage

Abstract

In this work, we report the facile synthesis of Fe₃O₄/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposites and their improved lithium storage capability. Fe₃O₄/RGO composites synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method exhibited outstanding electrochemical performance with good cycling stability. As an anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), the Fe₃O₄/RGO composites achieved a high reversible capacity of 1637 mA h g⁻¹ (0.1 A g⁻¹) at the 10^th cycle, which still remained at 1397 mA h g⁻¹ after 100 cycles. Moreover, the Fe₃O₄/RGO composites have excellent rate capability. Characterization results reveal that such a large reversible capacity is attributed to the synergistic effect between Fe₃O₄ and RGO, with the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) with surface step atoms offering abundant electrochemical active sites for lithium storage. In addition, RGO acts as a volume buffer and electron conductor, and more importantly preserves the electrochemically active surface and avoids the aggregation of the Fe₃O₄ NPs.