Chromium(III) oxide carbon nanocomposites lithium-ion battery anodes with enhanced energy conversion performance

•The Cr2O3/carbon nanocomposites were prepared by directly carbonizing the glycine–CrCl3 gel precursor.•The prepared Cr2O3 nanoparticles were embedded in carbon sheets.•The Cr2O3/carbon nanocomposites displayed superior cycling performance and rate performances.•The carbon sheets improved the electrical conductivity of Cr2O3 and buffered the volume change.

The chromium(III) oxide (Cr2O3) nanoparticles embedded in the carbon sheets are fabricated by combining a sol–gel approach with an efficient carbonization process using glycine as carbon precursor. These Cr2O3/carbon nanocomposites serving as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been tested, exhibiting higher cycling (reversible capacity of 465.5 mA h g−1 after 150 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g−1) and rate performances (the discharge capacities of 448.7, 287.2, and 144.8 mA h g−1 at a current density of 200, 400, and 800 mA g−1, respectively) than pure Cr2O3 (reversible capacity of 71.2 mA h g−1 after 150 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g−1 and the discharge capacities of 174.4, 60.5, 29.5, and 13.6 mA h g−1 at a current density of 100, 200, 400, and 800 mA g−1, respectively) due to the presence of carbon sheets, which efficiently buffer the volume change during the lithiation/delithiation and improve the electrical conductivity between Cr2O3 nanoparticles.

Graphical abstractThe Cr2O3/carbon nanocomposites synthesized by directly carbonizing glycine–CrCl3 gel precursor exhibit superior cycling and rate performances as lithium-ion battery anode materials.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide