Porous Fe₂O₃ Nanoparticles as Lithium-Ion Battery Anode Materials

Currently, because of higher theoretical capacity compared with other materials, the research of Fe2O3 as an anode electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been widely reported. By using a microwave-assisted-template method, the Fe-based metal–organic framework (Fe-MIL-88A) material with a spindle-like morphology was prepared by a microwave-assisted method. Via the one-step pyrolysis of Fe-MIL-88A-MW (microwave-assisted synthesis) in air, uniform Fe2O3-MW-4h nanoparticles with a multicavity structure were obtained. The influence of microwave holding time on the formation of internal cavity in Fe-MIL-88A-MW-derived Fe2O3 nanoparticles was investigated. The resulting Fe2O3-MW-4h nanoparticles exhibit the unique advantages of nanomaterials, with a high surface area and large pore volume. These features facilitate the movement of the electrolyte and reduce the resistance of the material. Most importantly, the multicavity structure of Fe2O3-MW-4h nanoparticles could reduce the volume change during the Li+ insertion and extraction process. When materials were used as anode materials for LIBs, the Fe2O3-MW-4h nanoparticles exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. Therefore, the microwave-assisted-template method is promising in manufacturing metal oxides with multicavity structures for the next generation of LIB anode electrode materials.