Binder free Cu(OH)2/CuO electrodes fabricated directly on copper foils by facile large-scale production method

Binders are usually used in lithium ion batteries for electrode fabrication, but they may make the production process complex, increase the inner resistance and reduce electrochemical performance. A facile and effective gas-etch method was employed in this work to prepare binder-free Cu(OH)2/CuO electrodes which directly grew on Cu foils at ambient temperature. The evolution process of 3D hierarchical structural Cu(OH)2/CuO thin film during the gas-etching and heat treatment was discussed by XRD, SEM and TEM analyses. The hierarchical snowflake structure with high specific surface of the prepared thin films could not only accelerate the electronic/ionic migration but also enhance the electrochemical performance. As Li-ion storage electrodes, the binder- and conductor-free CuO thin films exhibit a cycling capacity of 568 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C current density. The gas-etch method operated at ambient temperature is promisingly suitable for applications in the scaled production of thin-film electrodes.