Fabrication of NiO-ZnO/RGO composite as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract NiO-ZnO/RGO composite was obtained by the annealing of an Ni (OH) 2 -Zn (OH) 2 /RGO precursor, which has been fabricated by in situ ultrasonic agitation. Moreover, the NiO-ZnO nanoflakes are evenly distributed on the RGO sheets based on the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) characterization results. When the NiO-ZnO/RGO composite was used as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the electrodes exhibited a high reversible capacity of 1017 mA h/g at a current density of 100 mA/g after 200 cycles and a specific capacity of 458 mA h/g at 500 mA/g even after 400 cycles. The electrode even reached a capacity of 185 mA h/g at a current density of 2000 mA/g. The excellent electrochemical properties of the NiO-ZnO/RGO composite might be attributable to the NiO-ZnO nanoflakes offering rich electrochemical reaction sites and shortening the diffusion length for lithium ion (Li + ), as well as the RGO sheets improving the transfer rates of Li + and electron during the charge-discharge process.