Prussian blue derived metal oxides/graphene foam as anode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Metal oxides have received much attention recently in the field of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of high specific capacities. The combination between metal oxides and carbonaceous materials is an effective approach to improve the LIBs properties. In this contribution, Prussian blue (PB) particles with two different morphologies were loaded on the surface of graphene foam (GF) by a solution impregnation method, and then the Fe₂O₃/GF composites were obtained after the calcination of PB/GF precursors. The as-prepared Fe₂O₃/GF products exhibit superior electrochemical properties towards LIBs, and the specific capacity of 645 mA h g⁻¹ can be obtained at 100 mA g⁻¹ even after 200 cycles. The outstanding LIBs performance for the composite can be attributed to the synergistic effect between GF and metal oxides, in which Fe₂O₃ contributes a high specific capacity, whereas GF improves the electrical conductivity and cycle stability. The relationship between the morphologies of metal oxides and lithium storage properties was also investigated.