Carbothermal Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Composites for Energy Conversion and Storage Devices.

ABSTRACT: Metal oxides and carbonaceous composites are both promising materials for electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices, such as secondary rechargeable batteries, fuel cells and electrochemical capacitors. In this study, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles wrapped in nitrogen-doped (N-doped) graphene nanosheets (Fe₃O₄@G) were fabricated by a facile one-step carbothermal reduction method derived from Fe₂O₃ and liquid-polyacrylonitrile (LPAN). The unique two-dimensional structure of N-doped graphene nanosheets, can not only accommodate the volume changes during lithium intercalation/extraction processes and suppress the particles aggregation but also act as an electronically conductive matrix to improve the electrochemical performance of Fe₃O₄ anode, especially the rate capability. What's more, by etching Fe₃O₄@G to remove the iron-based oxide template, porous N-doped graphene composites (NGCs) were prepared and presented abundant pore structure with high specific surface area, delivering a specific capacitance of 172 F·g^-1 at 0.5 A·g^-1. In this way, Fe₂O₃ was both template and activator to adjust the pore size of graphene. And the effect of specific surface area and pore size tuned by the Fe₂O₃ activator were also revealed.

SUBMITTER: Mi H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6204351 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature