Dual-Active CoFe@N-CNTs Nanohybrids: Synergistic Encapsulation via Nitrogen-Rich Precursors for High-Capacity Freestanding Lithium-Ion Anodes

Abstract

Addressing the capacity degradation challenge in carbon nanotube-based anode materials, this study novel proposes a synergistic strategy integrating 3D conductive network construction with robust metal-carbon coupling interfaces. By selecting dicyandiamide (DCDA) as an optimal carbon/nitrogen precursor and combining solvothermal synthesis with chemical vapor deposition (CVD), we achieved in-situ growth of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes and uniform anchoring of Co-Fe nanoparticles. Pyrolysis characterization reveals that the DCDA system exhibits superior thermal stability and nitrogen-rich capability compared to cyanamide (CA) and melamine (MA) counterparts. Benefiting from the synergistic effects between the 3D conductive network and metal active sites, the CoFe@NCNTs/CC(DCDA) anode demonstrates exceptional lithium storage performance: delivering a high specific capacity of 1717.6 mAh·g⁻¹ at 1 A·g⁻¹ with 93.6% capacity retention after 250 cycles, while maintaining 1413.1 mAh·g⁻¹ at an elevated current density of 2 A·g⁻¹. When paired with NCM811 cathodes in full-cell configuration, the system achieves 84.8% capacity retention over 550 cycles at 1C rate, demonstrating its potential for practical applications. This work provides novel insights into interface engineering for designing highly stable metal-carbon composite electrodes.

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
08 May 2025
Accepted
25 Jun 2025
First published
27 Jun 2025

Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025, Accepted Manuscript

Dual-Active CoFe@N-CNTs Nanohybrids: Synergistic Encapsulation via Nitrogen-Rich Precursors for High-Capacity Freestanding Lithium-Ion Anodes

L. Huang, Y. Qin, K. Zhang, Z. Ou, X. Rao, Y. Wang, B. Xiang, X. Zou, Y. Zhou and H. Shen, Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025, Accepted Manuscript , DOI: 10.1039/D5QI01051A

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