Li2FeSiO4 nanorods bonded with graphene for high performance batteries

Abstract

We synthesized a novel 2D hybrid material composed of Li₂FeSiO₄ nanorods (LFSNRs) anchored on graphene. Such a chemically bonded interface leads to electron coupling at the interface between the nano-LFS and graphene, creating effective charge transport for LFSNR@graphene hybrid cathodes. Used as a cathode material, it possesses a high capacity (300 mA h g⁻¹ at 1.5–4.8 V), high charging–discharging rate (134 mA h g⁻¹ @ 12 C) and long-life performance (maintaining 95% capacity over 240 cycles), which is mainly attributed to the effective depolarization introduced by the synergistic effects of LFSNRs bonded with graphene, which improves the electrochemical activity of the LFSNRs. Thus, a hybrid cathode modified with an interfacial chemical structure with nanoparticles bonded with an electrical conduction network such as graphene or CNTs can significantly enhance the electrochemical performance, and this novel type of material is very promising for commercial applications that require high energy, a long operating life, and excellent abuse tolerance, such as electric vehicles.