title: Peapod-like composite with nickel phosphide nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon fibers as enhanced anode for li-ion batteries.
abstract: Herein, we introduce a peapod-like composite with Ni12 P5 nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon fibers as the enhanced anode in Li-ion batteries for the first time. In the synthesis, NiNH4 PO4 ⋅H2 O nanorods act as precursors and sacrificial templates, and glucose molecules serve as the green carbon source. With the aid of hydrogen bonding between the precursor and carbon source, a polymer layer is hydrothermally formed and then rationally converted into carbon fibers upon inert calcination at elevated temperatures. Meanwhile, NiNH4 PO4 ⋅H2 O nanorods simultaneously turn into Ni12 P5 nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon fibers by undergoing a decomposition and reduction process induced by high temperature and the carbon fibers. The obtained composite performs excellently as a Li-ion batteries anode relative to pure-phase materials. Specific capacity can reach 600 m Ah g(-1) over 200 cycles, which is much higher than that of isolated graphitized carbon or phosphides, and reasonably believed to originate from the synergistic effect based on the combination of Ni12 P5 nanoparticles and carbon fibers. Due to the benignity, sustainability, low cost, and abundance of raw materials of the peapod-like composite, numerous potential applications, in fields such as optoelectronics, electronics, specific catalysis, gas sensing, and biotechnology can be envisaged.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing City 400044 (PR China).
authors.forename: Huijuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yangyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Wenxiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077482:Carbon Fiber; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004566:Electrodes; D005947:Glucose / Q000737:chemistry; D008094:Lithium / Q000737:chemistry*; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry*; D010720:Phosphines / Q000737:chemistry*; D017553:Phosphorus Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000077482:Carbon Fiber; D010720:Phosphines; D017553:Phosphorus Compounds; D002244:Carbon; D009532:Nickel; D008094:Lithium; D005947:Glucose
keywords: electrochemistry; electron microscopy; lithium; nanoparticles; nickel