In situ self-catalyzed formation of core–shell LiFePO4@CNT nanowires for high rate performance lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

In situ self-catalyzed core–shell LiFePO₄@CNT nanowires can be fabricated by a two-step synthesis, where one-dimensional LiFePO₄ nanowires with a diameter of 20–30 nm were encapsulated into CNTs, and 3D conducting networks of CNTs were obtained from in situ carbonization of a polymer. LiFePO₄@CNT nanowires deliver a capacity of 160 mA h g⁻¹ at 17 mA g⁻¹, and 65 mA h g⁻¹ at 8500 mA g⁻¹ (50 C, 1.2 minutes for charging and 1.2 minutes for discharging).