Porous Fe₂O₃ Nanoframeworks Encapsulated within Three-Dimensional Graphene as High-Performance Flexible Anode for Lithium-Ion Battery

Abstract

Integrating nanoscale porous metal oxides into three-dimensional graphene (3DG) with encapsulated structure is a promising route but remains challenging to develop high-performance electrodes for lithium-ion battery. Herein, we design 3DG/metal organic framework composite by an excessive metal-ion-induced combination and spatially confined Ostwald ripening strategy, which can be transformed into 3DG/Fe₂O₃ aerogel with porous Fe₂O₃ nanoframeworks well encapsulated within graphene. The hierarchical structure offers highly interpenetrated porous conductive network and intimate contact between graphene and porous Fe₂O₃ as well as abundant stress buffer nanospace for effective charge transport and robust structural stability during electrochemical processes. The obtained free-standing 3DG/Fe₂O₃ aerogel was directly used as highly flexible anode upon mechanical pressing for lithium-ion battery and showed an ultrahigh capacity of 1129 mAh/g at 0.2 A/g after 130 cycles and outstanding cycling stability with a capacity retention of 98% after 1200 cycles at 5 A/g, which is the best results that have been reported so far. This study offers a promising route to greatly enhance the electrochemical properties of metal oxides and provides suggestive insights for developing high-performance electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage.