Free-standing graphene/carbon nanotubes/CuO aerogel paper anode for lithium ion batteries

• Synthesis of novel porous graphene/carbon nanotubes/CuO aerogel paper.
• The CuO nanosheets and carbon nanotubes homogeneously intercalated between the layered rGO nanosheets.
• The porous graphene/carbon nanotubes/CuO aerogel paper shows high reversible capacity and excellent rate capability.

Three-dimensional porous graphene/carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/CuO (GCC) hybrid aerogel was constructed through hydrothermal treatment. After been mechanically compressed, the aerogel showed a paper form and revealed a relatively ordered layer by layer structure with CuO and CNTs intercalated. When used as anode for lithium ion batteries, the unique structure not only provided electrically conducting channels to promote electrolyte penetration, but also could buffer the volume expansion during lithium ion insertion/extraction process. Thus, the resultant binder-free GCC aerogel paper anodes demonstrated excellent cyclic retention with the specific capacity of 636.9 mA h g−1 after 80 cycles compared to pure CuO, as well as excellent rate performance for lithium storage.

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