Synthesis of iron oxide cubes/reduced graphene oxide composite and its enhanced lithium storage performance

Fe_(3)O_(4) is considered as a promising electrode material for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) due to its low cost and high theoretical capacity(928 mAh/g).Nevertheless,the huge volume expansion and poor conductivity seriously hamper its practical applications.In this study,we use a facile hydrothermal reaction together with a post heat treatment to construct the three-dimensional heterostructured composite(Fe_(3)O_(4)/rGO) inwhich reduced graphene oxide sheets wraped the Fe_(3)O_(4) submicron cubes as the conductive network.The electric conduction and electrode kinetics of lithium ion insertion/extraction reaction of the composite is enhanced due to the assist of conductive rGO,and thus the Listorage performance is obviously improved.The composite exhibits a reversible charge capacity of772.1 mAh/g at the current density of 0.1 A/g,and the capacity retention reaches 70.3% after400 cycles at0.5 A/g,demonstrating obviously higher specific capacity and rate capability over the Fe_(3)O_(4) submicron cubes without rGO,and much superior cycling stability to the parent Fe_2 O_3 submicron cubes without rGO.On the other hand,as a synergic conductive carbon support,the flexible rGO plays an important role in buffering the large volume change during the repeated discharge/charge cycling.