A facile PVP-assisted hydrothermal fabrication of Fe2O3/Graphene composite as high performance anode material for lithium ion batteries

A simple PVP(polyvinylpyrrolidone)-assisted hydrothermal method is designed to prepare Fe2O3/Graphene composite. While the major crystalline phase of hematite is revealed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), the coexistence of Fe2O3 and graphene are demonstrated by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FI-IR) and Raman spectra studies. Meanwhile, the content of graphene in composite is determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images both illustrate the effective combination of Fe2O3 particles and graphene. Furthermore, owing to the synergic effects between Fe2O3 and graphene, Fe2O3/Graphene composite exhibits remarkable cycle performance with highly reversible charge capacity of 1092 mA h g−1 after 50 cycles at the current density of 50 mA g−1, and superior rate performance with highly reversible charge capacity of 501 mA h g−1 at the current density of 1000 mA g−1. For comparison, as absence of the good attachment between graphene and Fe2O3, the bare Fe2O3 and Fe2O3/Graphene composite prepared without assistance of PVP show worse cycle performance.

► Fe2O3/Graphene composite was synthesized by a facile PVP-assisted hydrothermal method.
► Microstructural Fe2O3 particles were embedded into graphene.
► The as-prepared materials deliver excellent cyclability and enhanced rate cycle performance.
► PVP serves as a complexant for Fe3+ and a surfactant for graphene oxide.