Supersonically sprayed Fe₂O₃/C/CNT composites for highly stable Li-ion battery anodes

A synthesized Fe₂O₃/C composite integrated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is deposited via cold spraying and used as a highly stable Li-ion battery anode. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the anode material confirms the coexistence of CNTs and mixed Fe₂O₃ phases (α and γ). Morphology and elemental mapping analyses are performed using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The Fe₂O₃/C/CNT composite presents the high discharge capacity of 1598 mA·h·g⁻¹ at the current density of 100 mA·g⁻¹. The anode exhibits excellent capacity retention values of 83% and 88% after 100 and 1000 charge–discharge cycles under current densities of 100 and 1000 mA·g⁻¹, respectively. The electrochemical performance of the synthesized Fe₂O₃/C/CNT composite is superior to that of the Fe₂O₃/CNT composite prepared by mixing commercially available Fe₂O₃ and CNTs. This is attributed to the shorter diffusion path of the Li-ions in the relatively smaller Fe₂O₃ particles and faster charge transfer through the highly conductive CNTs.