An efficient route to Cu2O nanorod array film for high-performance Li-ion batteries

Publication date: Available online 4 April 2016
Source:Thin Solid Films
Author(s): Yumei Yang, Kun Wang, Zeheng Yang, Yingmeng Zhang, Heyun Gu, Weixin Zhang, Errui Li, Chen Zhou
Fabrication of well-organized one-dimensional nanostructured arrays on conducting substrates as binder free electrodes allows to synergize and integrate multi-functionalities into lithium ion batteries. In this contribution, we report a metal-induced thermal reduction (MITR) method to prepare free-standing Cu2O nanorod array film with average diameters of 400±100 nm and lengths of several microns on copper substrates by direct thermal reduction of Cu(OH)2 nanorod arrays on copper foils in nitrogen atmosphere at 500 ^oC. The presence of Cu substrates reduces the Cu(OH)2 to Cu2O and decreases the reduction temperature significantly through changing the reaction Gibbs energy. Compared with some previously-reported methods about thermal reduction, the MITR method is facile, controllable, efficient and low energy consumption. The free-standing Cu2O nanorod array film on Cu substrates as anode can achieve high rate capability (315 mAh g^-1 at 10 C) and good cyclability (358 mAh g^-1 after 200 cycles at 1 C), demonstrating their excellent electrochemical performance in lithium-ion batteries, which results from relatively faster electron and ion transport, easier electrolyte diffusion and better accommodation of strains from the repeated conversion reactions based on their one-dimensional nanostructured arrays.