文摘
The design of sodium ion batteries is proposed based on the use of flexible membrane composed of ultrasmall transition metal oxides. In this paper, the preparation of CuO quantum dots (≈2 nm) delicately embedded in carbon nanofibers (denoted as 2-CuO@C) with a thin film via a feasible electrospinning method is reported. The CuO content can be controlled by altering the synthetic conditions and is optimized to 54 wt%. As binder-free anode for sodium ion batteries, 2-CuO@C delivers an initial reversible capacity of 528 mA h g−1 at the current density of 100 mA g−1, an exceptional rate capability of 250 mA h g−1 at 5000 mA g−1, and an ultra-stable capacity of 401 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles at 500 mA g−1. The enhancement of electrochemical performance is attributed to the unique structure of 2-CuO@C, which offers a variety of advantages: highly conductive carbon matrix suppressing agglomeration of CuO grains, interconnected nanofibers ensuring short transport length for electrons, well-dispersed CuO quantum dots leading to highly utilization rate, and good mechanical properties resulting in strong electrode integrity.