Bismuth oxide/reduced graphene oxide (termed Bi2O3@rGO) nanocomposite has been facilely prepared by a solvothermal method via introducing chemical bonding that has been demonstrated by Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra. Tremendous single-crystal Bi2O3 nanoparticles with an average size of ∼5 nm are anchored and uniformly dispersed on rGO sheets. Such a nanostructure results in enhanced electrochemical reversibility and cycling stability of Bi2O3@rGO composite materials as anodes for lithium ion batteries in comparison with agglomerated bare Bi2O3 nanoparticles. The Bi2O3@rGO anode material can deliver a high initial capacity of ∼900 mAh/g at 0.1C and shows excellent rate capability of ∼270 mAh/g at 10C rates (1C = 600 mA/g). After 100 electrochemical cycles at 1C, the Bi2O3@rGO anode material retains a capacity of 347.3 mAh/g with corresponding capacity retention of 79%, which is significantly better than that of bare Bi2O3 material. The lithium ion diffusion coefficient during lithiation-delithiation of Bi2O3@rGO nanocomposite has been evaluated to be around ∼10-15-10-16 cm2/S. This work demonstrates the effects of chemical bonding between Bi2O3 nanoparticles and rGO substrate on enhanced electrochemical performances of Bi2O3@rGO nanocomposite, which can be used as a promising anode alterative for superior lithium ion batteries.
Keywords: Bi2O3/rGO nanocomposite; alloying−dealloying process; anode material; chemical bonding; lithium ion battery; lithium storage performance.