Direct growth of FePO4/reduced graphene oxide nanosheet composites for the sodium-ion battery

Abstract

In this article, an FePO₄/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheet has been synthesized through a micro-emulsion technique. It exhibits excellent electrochemical performance in discharge-specific capacity and rate capability. The FePO₄ nanospheres grow on both sides of the rGO in a single layer by means of a non-covalent bond. The first discharge-specific capacity of this cathode material is up to 130.5 mA h g⁻¹ and remains at 153.4 mA h g⁻¹ after the 70th cycle at 0.1 C. The discharge-specific capacity of FePO₄/rGO is maintained at 154.5 mA h g⁻¹, 151.6 mA h g⁻¹, 122.3 mA h g⁻¹ and 100.6 mA h g⁻¹, at 0.1 C, 0.2 C, 0.5 C and 1 C, respectively. The result indicates that the FePO₄/rGO nanosheet composite has great potential as a cathode material for the sodium-ion battery.