Influence of cobalt concentration on CuO nanoplates morphology and its superior performance as Li-ion battery anode

Abstract

Attracted by high theoretical capacity, CuO has emerged as a promising anode for Li-ion batteries. However, poor electronic conductivity, cycling instability and first cycle irreversibility is still a hindrance for end-Application. To address these concerns in battery applications, for the first time, cobalt induced CuO nanobelt-like morphology is reported. Cobalt concentration dependent nanoplate morphology, reversibility and cycling stability have been investigated. Combined XPS and energy dispersive X-ray analysis indicates that the cobalt exist more in the bulk and very minimally on the surface. The 6 wt% Co in CuO nanobelt-like morphology showed excellent improvement in performance delivering 665 mAh g-1 at the end of 80 cycles at 1 C rate along with first cycle Coulombic efficiency of 66.1%. Impedance analysis confirms Co-CuO electrodes exhibited lower charge transfer resistance and better kinetics compared to bare-CuO. This electrode was paired with LiMn2O4 cathode as full-cell Li-ion battery, which retained 385 mAh g-1 of capacity at the end of 100 cycles at 1 C rate.