Demonstrating the steady performance of iron oxide composites over 2000 cycles at fast charge-rates for Li-ion batteries

Enhancement of Electrochemical Performance by the Oxygen Vacancies in Hematite as Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The application of hematite in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been severely limited because of its poor cycling stability and rate performance. To solve this problem, hematite nanoparticles with oxygen vacancies have been rationally designed by a facile sol-gel method and a sequential carbon-thermic reduction process. Thanks to the existence of oxygen vacancies, the electrochemical performance of the as-obtained hematite nanoparticles is greatly enhancing. When used as the anode material in LIBs, it can deliver a reversible capacity of 1252 mAh g^-1 at 2 C after 400 cycles. Meanwhile, the as-obtained hematite nanoparticles also exhibit excellent rate performance as compared to its counterparts. This method not only provides a new approach for the development of hematite with enhanced electrochemical performance but also sheds new light on the synthesis of other kinds of metal oxides with oxygen vacancies.

Iron-Based Electrodes Meet Water-Based Preparation, Fluorine-Free Electrolyte and Binder: A Chance for More Sustainable Lithium-Ion Batteries?

Environmentally friendly and cost-effective Li-ion cells are fabricated with abundant, non-toxic LiFePO4 cathodes and iron oxide anodes. A water-soluble alginate binder is used to coat both electrodes to reduce the environmental footprint. The critical reactivity of LiPF6 -based electrolytes toward possible traces of H2 O in water-processed electrodes is overcome by using a lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB) salt. The absence of fluorine in the electrolyte and binder is a cornerstone for improved cell chemistry and results in stable battery operation. A dedicated approach to exploit conversion-type anodes more effectively is also disclosed. The issue of large voltage hysteresis upon conversion/de-conversion is circumvented by operating iron oxide in a deeply lithiated Fe/Li2 O form. Li-ion cells with energy efficiencies of up to 92 % are demonstrated if LiFePO4 is cycled versus such anodes prepared through a pre-lithiation procedure. These cells show an average energy efficiency of approximately 90.66 % and a mean Coulombic efficiency of approximately 99.65 % over 320 cycles at current densities of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mA cm-2 . They retain nearly 100 % of their initial discharge capacity and provide an unmatched operation potential of approximately 2.85 V for this combination of active materials. No occurrence of Li plating was detected in three-electrode cells at charging rates of approximately 5C. Excellent rate capabilities of up to approximately 30C are achieved thanks to the exploitation of size effects from the small Fe nanoparticles and their reactive boundaries.

Hematite nanoparticle clusters with remarkably high magnetization synthesized from water-treatment waste by one-step “sharp high-temperature dehydration”

Hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) nanoparticle clusters with an exceptionally high magnetization of 51 emu g⁻¹ were synthesized for the first time. This material was prepared from water-treatment waste by a new “sharp high-temperature dehydration” process.