title: Green Template-Free Synthesis of Hierarchical Shuttle-Shaped Mesoporous ZnFe2 O4 Microrods with Enhanced Lithium Storage for Advanced Li-Ion Batteries.
abstract: In the work, a facile and green two-step synthetic strategy was purposefully developed to efficiently fabricate hierarchical shuttle-shaped mesoporous ZnFe2 O4 microrods (MRs) with a high tap density of ∼0.85 g cm(3) , which were assembled by 1D nanofiber (NF) subunits, and further utilized as a long-life anode for advanced Li-ion batteries. The significant role of the mixed solvent of glycerin and water in the formation of such hierarchical mesoporous MRs was systematically investigated. After 488 cycles at a large current rate of 1000 mA g(-1) , the resulting ZnFe2 O4 MRs with high loading of ∼1.4 mg per electrode still preserved a reversible capacity as large as ∼542 mAh g(-1) . Furthermore, an initial charge capacity of ∼1150 mAh g(-1) is delivered by the ZnFe2 O4 anode at 100 mA g(-1) , resulting in a high Coulombic efficiency of ∼76 % for the first cycle. The superior Li-storage properties of the as-obtained ZnFe2 O4 were rationally associated with its mesoprous micro-/nanostructures and 1D nanoscaled building blocks, which accelerated the electron transportation, facilitated Li(+) transfer rate, buffered the large volume variations during repeated discharge/charge processes, and provided rich electrode-electrolyte sur-/interfaces for efficient lithium storage, particularly at high rates.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, 243002 (P. R. China).
authors.forename: Linrui
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, 243002 (P. R. China).
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, 243002 (P. R. China).
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, 243002 (P. R. China).
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, 243002 (P. R. China).
authors.forename: Siqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, 243002 (P. R. China). ayuancz@163.com.|Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, Hefei, 230026 (P. R. China). ayuancz@163.com.
authors.forename: Changzhou
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yuan
keywords: Li-ion batteries; ZnFe2O4; anodes; hierarchical microrods; mesoporous