Nanoparticle Fe₂O₃-Loaded Carbon Nanofibers as Iron-Air Battery Anodes

We prepared nanoparticle Fe2O3-loaded carbon nanofiber material by a chemical method. Fe(NO3)3 was impregnated on carbon in an aqueous solution, and the mixture was dried and then calcined for 1 h at 400°C in flowing Ar. The herringbone carbon nanofiber and mesoporous carbon nanofiber with large actual surface area were used to increase the dispersion of iron on the carbon surface. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that nano-sized Fe2O3 particles were distributed on the carbon surface and that many nano-sized Fe2O3 species were present inside the pores on the mesoporous carbon surface. Such dispersion of nano-sized Fe2O3 will support the redox reaction of iron and result in improved capacity of Fe2O3-loaded carbon electrodes.