Reduced graphene oxide coated Fe-soc as a cathode material for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

To solve the problem of the rapid decrease in capacity caused by poor conductivity, polysulfide shuttling, and the volume expansion associated with the reaction process, we attempt to use metal-organic framework (MOF) Fe-soc coated with reduced graphene oxide through electrostatic adsorption as a sulfur carrier material for lithium sulfur batteries. The research results show that S/Fe-soc@rGO has a high initial discharge specific capacity of 1634.3 mA h g⁻¹ with a stable specific capacity retention rate of 865.3 mA h g⁻¹ after 80 cycles and displays enhanced rate performance with high discharge specific capacities of 638.8 and 334.3 mA h g⁻¹ after 200 cycles at 0.5 and 1 C, respectively. Fe-soc has unsaturated metal sites can adsorb sulfur and polysulfide, effectively bind polysulfide, symmetrical stable structure is conducive to speed up the electron and ion transmission efficiency while buffering the volume expansion during charge and discharge. In addition, reduced graphene oxide as a coating layer can better assist Fe-soc to increase the utilization rate of sulfur, and improve the conductivity of the cathode material, thereby improving the cycle performance and rate performance of lithium-sulfur batteries. This article is also expected to stimulate the application of MOF derivatives in energy storage materials.     

Synthesis of MnOx/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite as an anode electrode for lithium-ion batteries

We report the high performance of the manganese oxide/reduced graphene oxide (MnOx/rGO) nanocomposite as an anode electrode of a lithium-ion battery. The composite is synthesized by a low temperature (83 °C) chemical solution reaction, and shows relatively high specific capacities (660 mAh g⁻¹) after 50 cycles. For MnOx/rGO composites, the cycling stability is increased remarkably as compared to that seen with individual MnOx, and this is due to the synergistic effects of both the components in the composite. The rGO acts as a conductive buffer layer that suppresses the volume change of MnOx, and simultaneously promotes the conductivity of MnOx. The functional groups of graphene oxide facilitate MnOx formation at low temperature, and this retains the MnOx-graphene oxide connection, thus improving the capacity and cycling stability.     

Hollow ZnSnO3 cubes@carbon/reduced graphene oxide ternary composite as anode of lithium ion batteries with enhanced electrochemical performance

The ternary composite, carbon coated hollow ZnSnO₃ (ZS@C) cubes encapsulated in reduced graphene oxide sheets (ZS@C/rGO), was synthesized via low-temperature coprecipitation and colloid electrostatic self-assembly. The uniform carbon-coating layer not only plays a role in buffering the volume change of ZnSnO₃ cubes in the charging/discharging processes, but also forms three-dimensional network with the cooperation of graphene to maintain the structural integrity and improve the electrical conductivity. The results show that the reduced graphene oxide sheets encapsulated ZS@C microcubes with a typical core-shell structure of ~700 nm in size exhibit an improved electrochemical performance compared with bare ZS@C microcubes. The ZS@C/rGO electrode delivered an initial discharge capacity of 1984 mA h g⁻¹ at a current density of 0.1 A g⁻¹ and maintained a capacity of 1040 mA h g⁻¹ after 45 cycles. High specific capacity and superior cycle stability indicate that the ZS@C/rGO composite has a great potential for the application of lithium-ion anode material.     

V2O3/rGO composite as a potential anode material for lithium ion batteries

V₂O₃ is a promising anode material and has attracted the interests of researchers because of its high theoretical capacity of 1070?mAh?g^?1, low discharge potential, inexpensiveness, abundant sources, and environmental friendliness. However, the development and application of V₂O₃ have been hindered by the low conductivity and drastic volume change of V₂O₃ composites. In this work, V₂O₃/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites are successfully prepared through a facile solvothermal method and annealing process. In this synthesis protocol, V₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs) are encapsulated by rGO. This unique structure enables rGO to inhibit volume changes and improve the ion and electronic conductivity of V₂O₃. In addition, V₂O₃ NPs, which exhibit sizes of 5–40?nm, are uniformly dispersed on rGO sheets without aggregation. The Li⁺ storage behavior of V₂O₃/rGO is systematically investigated in the potential range 0.01–3.0?V. The V₂O₃/rGO nanocomposite can achieve a high reversible specific capacity of 823.4?mAh?g^?1 under the current density of 0.1?A?g^?1, and 407.3 mAh g^?1 under the high current density of 4.0?A?g^?1. The results of this study provide insight into the fabrication of rGO-based functional materials with extensive applications.     

One-step microwave-assisted synthesis of Sb2O3/reduced graphene oxide composites as advanced anode materials for sodium-ion batteries

Sb₂O₃/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composites were prepared through a facile microwave-assisted reduction of graphite oxide in SbCl₃ precursor solution, and investigated as anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The experimental results show that a maximum specific capacity of 503 mA h g⁻¹ is achieved after 50 galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles at a current density of 100 mA g⁻¹ by optimizing the RGO content in the composites and an excellent rate performance is also obtained due to the synergistic effect between Sb₂O₃ and RGO. The high capacity, superior rate capability and excellent cycling performance of Sb₂O₃/RGO composites demonstrate their excellent sodium-ion storage ability and show their great potential as electrode materials for SIBs.     

CuO/graphene composite as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

CuO/graphene composite is synthesized from CuO and graphene oxide sheets following reduced by hydrazine vapor. As the electrode material for lithium-ion batteries, CuO nanoparticles with sizes of about 30 nm homogeneously locate on graphene sheets, and act as spacers to effectively prevent the agglomeration of graphene sheets, keeping their high active surface. In turn, the graphene sheets with good electrical conductivity server as a conducting network for fast electron transfer between the active materials and charge collector, as well as buffered spaces to accommodate the volume expansion/contraction during discharge/charge process. The synergetic effect is beneficial for the electrochemical performances of CuO/graphene composite, such as improved initial coulombic efficiency (68.7%) and reversible capacity of 583.5 mAh g⁻¹ with 75.5% retention of the reversible capacity after 50 cycles.     

Strontium incorporated hydroxyapatite/hydrothermally reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite as a cytocompatible material

Hydroxyapatite (HA)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites with different mol% of strontium and 1?wt% of GO were fabricated through a green hydrothermal reduction method and this combination has been reported for the first time. All the synthesized composites had strontium incorporated onto the crystal structure of HA as can be substantiated from XRD and FTIR. This paper also discusses a possible role of surface and pore characteristics on the in vitro cytocompatibility and the contribution of graphene oxide in directing the nucleation points resulting in dispersed strontium incorporated hydroxyapatite (SHA) based on P-31 NMR and TEM studies. In addition, a reasonable speculation also has been made to correlate the cytocompatibility with the selective occupancy of strontium ions in the apatite lattice. The in vitro cytocompatibility of SHA/rGO composites (SHAG) has been evaluated using cell proliferation tests with MG-63 cells, under a wider range of concentrations (1000–7.8?µg/ml) and by varying Sr/(Ca+Sr) molar ratio. SHAG with strontium substitution of 10?mol% exhibited the maximum viability among the samples tested. These results suggest that the SHAG composites will be a promising material for biomedical application.     

Graphene-supported cubic hollow carbon shell-coated germanium particles as high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries

Germanium-based materials are considered to be an alternative material for high energy density lithium-ion battery anodes due to their superior theoretical capacity. However, the severe volume expansion during the lithium insertion and the easily agglomerated tendency of Ge nanoparticles become the key obstacles to the stable cycle and capacity retention of Ge anodes. Herein, we designed a double-layered protective structure in which the cubic hollow Ge@C hybrids are uniformly dispersed on reduced graphene oxide sheets (Ge@C-rGO) through conventional dopamine-coated precursor and subsequent carbothermal reduction processes. In the synthesized Ge@C-rGO hybrids, the large-area rGO sheets cooperate with the amorphous carbon layer to accommodate and buffer the volume expansion of Ge particles, and to ensure that the Ge nanoparticles are in a separated state to the utmost extent. The Ge@C-rGO electrode which is employed in lithium-ion battery owns the reversible capacities of 1183 mAh·g⁻¹ at the specific current of 100 mA g⁻¹ and 710 mAh·g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹ for 200 cycles. In addition, it exhibited good cycle stability, rate reversibility and electronic conductivity, and is a potential anode material with high performance and long-cycle capability.     

Three-dimensional MnO/reduced graphite oxide composite films as anode materials for high performance lithium-ion batteries

MnO/reduced graphite oxide (MnO/RGO) composite films with three dimensionally porous structures have been synthesized by an improved electrostatic spray deposition setup and their microstructure and electrochemical properties have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric, Raman spectrometry and galvanostatic cell cycling. The results show that the structure and electrochemical performance of the electrode film are influenced significantly by the RGO content. The three dimensionally porous structure collapse does not occur in the MnO/RGO thin films for a RGO content lower than 16.58 wt%, the 16.58 wt% reduced graphite oxide content being optimal. Such an improvement in the cycling performance (772 mAh g⁻¹ after 100 cycles at 1 C) and rate capability (425 mAh g⁻¹ at 6 C) might be attributed to the excellent microstructure and electrical conductivity of MnO/reduced graphite oxide composite film electrodes.     

Bifunctional ternary manganese oxide/vanadium oxide/reduced graphene oxide as electrochromic asymmetric supercapacitor

A bifunctional ternary manganese oxide/vanadium oxide/reduced graphene oxide (MnO₂/V₂O₅/rGO) was developed for asymmetric electrochromic supercapacitor (EC-SC) application. The elemental mapping revealed uniformly distributed MnO₂, V₂O₅ and rGO, depicting homogenous synthesis of the hybrid composite. The phase composition, vibration modes and valance state of the ternary composite were analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, respectively. Interestingly, the as-prepared MnO₂/V₂O₅/rGO composite disclosed tremendous C_sp of 1403.5 F/g, which was higher compared to MnO₂/V₂O₅ (801.1 F/g), V₂O₅ (613.1 F/g), MnO₂ (126.7 F/g) and rGO (60.7 F/g). MnO₂/V₂O₅/rGO that appeared in dark green switched its visual color to orange at the charged state, confirming the electrochromic property. The bifunctional manganese oxide/vanadium oxide/reduced graphene oxide//copper-based metal-organic framework/reduced graphene oxide (MnO₂/V₂O₅/rGO//MrGO) asymmetrical EC-SC device revealed outstanding cycling stability (90.3% charge retention over 5000 cycles), tremendous specific capacitance (652.7 F/g) and maximum specific energy (60.4 Wh/kg). MnO₂/V₂O₅/rGO//MrGO asymmetrical EC-SC device demonstrated reversible color changes from dark green to orange at the discharged and charged states, respectively. The significantly great electrochromic and supercapacitive performance revealed that MnO₂/V₂O₅/rGO//MrGO is an outstanding electroactive candidate for the next generation of electrochromic supercapacitors.     

Spray dryer processed graphene oxide/reduced graphene oxide for high-performance supercapacitor

This study deals with the utility of mini spray dryer process to improve the dispersibility, of graphene oxide(GO) and its application for high-performance supercapacitor. Initially, the neutral solution of GO was obtained using the modified Hummer's method. After this, the prepared GO solution was processed by mini spray dryer to obtain a more purified, lighter, and dispersed form of GO which is named as spray dryer processed GO (SPGO). The SPGO thus obtained showed excellent dispersibility behavior with various solvents, which is not found in case of conventional oven drying. Furthermore, utility of SPGO and its reduced form (r-SPGO) for supercapacitor applications have been investigated. Results obtained from the cyclic voltammetry(CV) analysis, impedance, and charge-discharge behavior of supercapacitor fabricated using r-SPGO shows enhanced features. Therefore, the simple spray dried GO and its reduced form, that is, r-SPGO can be utilized as a potential candidate for the supercapacitor application. Herein, as synthesized SPGO exhibited the specific capacitance of 12.07 and 37.6 F/g with PVA-H₃PO₄ and 1 mol/L H₃PO₄, respectively, at a scan rate of 5 mV/s. On the other hand, reduced form of SPGO, that is, r-SPGO showed the specific capacitance of 27.16 and 230 F/g with PVA-H₃PO₄ and 1 mol/L H₃PO₄, respectively.     

Synthesis of CuGeO3/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite by hydrothermal reduction for high performance Li-ion battery anodes

Nowadays, Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are prevalently applied in numerous areas, leading to increasing demand of innovative electrodes with high specific capacities. An advanced CuGeO₃/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) structure is designed and fabricated as the anode material taking the advantage of considerable capacity offered by CuGeO₃ and stable framework constructed by rGO. The as-prepared CuGeO₃ with 30 wt% GO addition exhibits the best electrochemical performance. Specifically, a reversible charge capacity of 909 mAh·g⁻¹ with high coulombic efficiency of 91.49% at the current density of 100 mA g⁻¹ after 200 cycles is demonstrated, and the rate capacity retains 747.6 mAh·g⁻¹ with 91.59% capacity retention. These results indicate that the CuGeO₃/rGO composite holds great potential in next-generation LIBs.     

Fabrication and properties of reduced graphene oxide reinforced yttria-stabilized zirconia composite ceramics

Fully dense yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramics reinforced with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) were fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS), and their electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties were investigated. Graphene oxide (GO) was exfoliated by a short sonification in dimethylformamide (DMF)/water solution and uniformly mixed with ZrO₂ powders. The microstructure of the composites showed that undamaged RGO sheets were homogeneously distributed throughout matrix grains. The electrical conductivity of YSZ composites drastically increased with the addition of RGO, and it reached 1.2 × 10⁴ S/m at 4.1 vol.%. However, the thermal diffusivity increased only 12% with RGO addition. The hardness decreased slightly with RGO addition, whereas the fracture toughness significantly increased from 4.4 to 5.9 MPa^1/2. The RGO pull-out and crack bridging contributed to the improved fracture toughness.     

Preparation of manganese monoxide@reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites with superior electrochemical performances for lithium-ion batteries

Manganese monoxide (MnO) nanowire@reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites are synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method combined with a calcination process. The structural and morphological characterization of the composites indicates that the MnO nanowires homogeneously anchor on both sides of the cross-linked rGO. The nanocomposites exhibit a high surface area of 126.5?m² g^?1. When employed as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, the nanocomposites exhibit a reversible capacity of 1195 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 0.1?A?g^?1, with a high charge-discharge efficiency of 99.2% after 150 cycles. The three-dimensional architecture of the present materials exhibits high porosity and electron conductivity, significantly shortening the diffusion path of lithium ions and accelerating their reaction with the electrolyte, which greatly improves the lithium-ion storage properties. These excellent electrochemical performances make the composite a promising electrode material for lithium-ion batteries.     

Facile synthesis of lithium-vanadium-molybdenum oxide nanocomposite as high-performance anode material for lithium ion batteries

A lithium-vanadium-molybdenum-oxide composite has been prepared by a soft chemical route with mechanical activation assistance followed by low-temperature heat treatment in argon atmosphere. The X-ray diffraction reveals that the synthesized sample is made up of Li₃V(MoO₄)₃ and LiVOMoO₄ crystal phases. The SEM images show the fine particles ~300 nm in size. HRTEM image shows a clear crystal boundary between the two phases. The composite possesses good electrochemical performance as anode material. Particularly, it delivers an initial charge capacity of 927 mAh g⁻¹ at 50 mA g⁻¹ with a high initial coulombic efficiency of 81.2% and maintains 87.8% of its initial capacity after 50 cycles. Even if tested at 1000 mA g⁻¹, it can deliver a reversible capacity of 542 mA h g⁻¹.     

Wrapping mesoporous Fe2O3 nanoparticles by reduced graphene oxide: Enhancement of cycling stability and capacity of lithium ion batteries by mesoscopic engineering

The fast capacity fading at high current density turns out to be one of the key challenges limiting the broad applications of transition metal oxide-based electrodes. Herein, Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles with well-defined mesopores wrapped by reduced graphene oxide (RGO) have been synthesized via a facile hydrothermal strategy. The as-prepared nanocomposites were systematically characterized. XPS and Raman analyses confirm the co-existence of Fe₂O₃ and RGO in the nanocomposite system. SEM and TEM reveal that the mesoporous Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles have a size of 20–60?nm and are uniformly dispersed and tightly wrapped by RGO. When used as the anode in lithium ion batteries, the mesoporous-Fe₂O₃/RGO electrode exhibits excellent cycling stability (1098?mA?h?g^?1 after 500 cycles at 1?A?g^?1) and superior rate capability (574?mA?h?g^?1 at 5?A?g^?1). The excellent electrochemical performance can be mainly ascribed to the unique mesoscopic architecture that serves as a cushion to alleviate volume change of Fe₂O₃ during discharge/charge cycles, provides a sustainably large contact area with the electrolyte, and improves electrical conductivity. This unique nanocomposite electrode holds great potential as an anode material for advanced lithium ion batteries.     

Flash sintering of alumina/reduced graphene oxide composites

The flash sintering behavior of Al₂O₃/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites was investigated. rGO was used as a composite component and a conductive additive. Under the electric fields of 250–400 V cm⁻¹, the flash event occurred at extremely low temperatures of 236–249 °C. The current density limit played a significant role in the degree of densification. A larger current density resulted in a higher density of the sample. However, current densities larger than 33.33 A cm⁻² resulted in broken samples because of the localization of high current density coupled with the formation of hot spots. Flash sintering at a furnace temperature of 800 °C, electric field of 300 V cm⁻¹ and current density limit of 33.33 A cm⁻² produced nearly completely dense Al₂O₃/rGO composites. In addition to the current limit, the furnace temperature is also a key parameter that controls the degree of densification to achieve “safe” flash sintering.     

MoO3/reduced graphene oxide composites as anode material for sodium ion batteries

MoO₃/reduced graphene oxide (MoO₃/RGO) composites were successfully prepared via a facile one-step hydrothermal method, and evaluated as anode materials for sodium ion batteries (SIBs). The crystal structures, morphologies and electrochemical properties of the as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic charge/discharge tests, respectively. The results show that the introduction of RGO can enhance the electrochemical performances of MoO₃/RGO composites. MoO₃/RGO composite with 6 wt% RGO delivers the highest reversible capacity of ~208 mA h g⁻¹ at 50 mA g⁻¹ after 50 cycles with good cycling stability and excellent rate performance for SIBs. The excellent sodium storage performance of MoO₃/RGO should be attributed to the synergistic effect between MoO₃ and RGO, which offers the increased electrical conductivity, the facilitated electron transfer ability and the buffering of volume expansion.     

Ge-doped Li4Ti5-xGexO12 (x = 0.05) as a fast-charging,long-life bi-functional anode material for lithium- and sodium-ion batteries

We explored the doping effect of Ge⁴⁺ on the Li₄Ti_5-xGe_xO₁₂ (x = 0.0 and 0.05) anode material by looking at its electrochemical performance in both Li- and Na-ion batteries. Combined analysis using Rietveld refinement of high-resolution powder diffraction (HRPD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) unambiguously identified homogeneous Ge doping into the 16c octahedral Ti site of the Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) cubic spinel structure. This Ge doping leads to a much-reduced particle size, slightly expanded lattice and increased electrical conductivity due to the increased Ti³⁺ to Ti⁴⁺ ratio, these results were verified by HRPD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), 4-point probe and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The Li₄Ti_4.95Ge_0.05O₁₂ (Ge0.05-LTO) electrode shows much-improved capacity, high-rate capability and excellent cycling stability in a Li-half cell compared with an un-doped LTO electrode. This performance improvement is due to the reduced Li⁺ diffusion path and faster Li⁺ insertion/extraction kinetics that originate from Ge doping. In addition to these results, when tested as an anode for SIBs, the Ge0.05-LTO electrode exhibits enhanced capacity and cycling stability compared to un-doped LTO electrode, demonstrating its bi-functional, advantageous features in both LIB and SIB systems.