Ultra-uniform CuO/Cu in nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers as a stable anode for Li-ion batteries

Abstract

Developing advanced anode materials is crucial to further enhance the performance of lithium-ion batteries for electrochemical energy storage. Metal oxides embedded in a carbonaceous matrix are supposed to be promising candidates as anode materials due to their high specific capacity and excellent stability. Herein, we report a CuO/Cu-based carbonaceous nanocomposite system which was used as an anode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries via an efficient synergistic effect. With an improved fabrication strategy, the CuO/Cu could be ultra-uniformly dispersed in nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers. Benefiting from the in situ pyrolysis of Cu salts with improved structural stability and conductivity, the hybrid nanofiber electrode showed a specific capacity of 572.0 mA h g⁻¹ and steady cycling performance over 500 cycles at a constant current density of 0.5 A g⁻¹.