Cotton-Textile-Enabled, Flexible Lithium-Ion Batteries with Enhanced Capacity and Extended Lifespan

Abstract

Activated cotton textile (ACT) with porous tubular fibers embedded with NiS2 nanobowls and wrapped with conductive graphene sheets (ACT/NiS2-graphene) was fabricated by a simple two-step heat treatment method. When used as a binder-free electrode, the ACT/NiS2-graphene electrode exhibited an exceptional electrochemical performance including ultrahigh initial discharge capacity (∼1710 mAh g(-1) at 0.01 C), magnificent rate performance (the discharge capacitance retained at ∼645 mAh g(-1) at 1 C after 100 cycles) and excellent cyclic stability (the discharge capacitance recovered to ∼1016 mAh g(-1) at 0.1 C after 400 cycles).