Polyaniline coated Fe₃O₄ hollow nanospheres as anode materials for lithium ion batteries

Polyaniline (PANI) coated Fe₃O₄ hollow nanospheres (h-Fe₃O₄@ PANI) have been successfully synthesized and investigated as anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). The structure and composition analyses have been performed by employing X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show a good combination between h-Fe₃O₄ and PANI with a conductive state. When evaluated as anode materials for LIBs, the h-Fe₃O₄@PANI nanocomposites exhibit excellent LIB performance with enhanced reversible capacity, good cycling performance and rate capability as compared to h-Fe₃O₄ and solid Fe₃O₄ (s-Fe₃O₄) nanospheres. The improved electrochemical performance of the nanocomposite is considered due to the hollow nature of the products and the coated PANI layers.