One-pot synthesis of a composite of monodispersed CuO nanospheres on carbon nanotubes as anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Nanospheres of CuO are synthesized by a facile solution reaction of CuCl2 in the presence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), yielding a composite material. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirms the uniform dispersion of CuO nanospheres on the CNTs surface. The functional groups are determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and elemental composition is confirmed by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), while the structure and morphology of the deposited electrodes are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Electrochemical characterization by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge/discharge tests demonstrate high rate capability and superior cycling stability for CuO/CNT composite with a high specific capacity of 638 mAh/g for up to 50 cycles. It is anticipated that this high efficiency is due to the high dispersion of CuO nanospheres and excellent conductivity of CNTs mesh.