Biological Metabolism Synthesis of Metal Oxides Nanorods from Bacteria as a Biofactory toward High-Performance Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes

Han Xiao; Lusheng Xu; Zhen Xiao; Hui Huang; Yongping Gan; Guoxiang Pan; Xinyong Tao; Yang Xia; Xinhui Xia; Wenkui Zhang

doi:10.1002/smll.201902032

Biological Metabolism Synthesis of Metal Oxides Nanorods from Bacteria as a Biofactory toward High-Performance Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes

Small. 2019 Sep;15(38):e1902032. doi: 10.1002/smll.201902032. Epub 2019 Aug 1.

Authors

Han Xiao^{1

2}, Lusheng Xu³, Zhen Xiao⁴, Hui Huang¹, Yongping Gan¹, Guoxiang Pan⁵, Xinyong Tao¹, Yang Xia¹, Xinhui Xia⁶, Wenkui Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China.
² Ningbo Graphene Innovation Center Co., Ltd, Ningbo, 315200, China.
³ College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China.
⁴ College of Materials Science and Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
⁵ Department of Materials Chemistry, Huzhou University, Huzhou, 313000, China.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, and Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Applications for Batteries of Zhejiang Province, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.

PMID: 31368636
DOI: 10.1002/smll.201902032

Abstract

Increasing awareness toward environmental remediation and renewable energy has led to a vigorous demand for exploring a win-win strategy to realize the eco-efficient conversion of pollutants ("trash") into energy-storage nanomaterials ("treasure"). Inspired by the biological metabolism of bacteria, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans) is successfully exploited as a promising eco-friendly sustainable biofactory for the controllable fabrication of α-Fe₂ O₃ nanorods via the oxidation of soluble ferrous irons to insoluble ferric substances (Jarosite, KFe₃ (SO₄ )₂ (OH)₆ ) and a facile subsequent heat treatment. It is demonstrated that the stable solid electrolyte interphase layers and marvelous cracks in situ formed in biometabolic α-Fe₂ O₃ nanorods play important roles that not only significantly enhance the structure stability but also facilitate electron and ion transfer. Consequently, these biometabolic α-Fe₂ O₃ nanorods deliver a superior stable capacity of 673.9 mAh g^-1 at 100 mA g^-1 over 200 cycles and a remarkable multi-rate capability that observably prevails over the commercial counterpart. It is highly expected that such biological synthesis strategies can shed new light on an emerging field of research interconnecting biotechnology, energy technology, environmental technology, and nanotechnology.

Keywords: Li-ion batteries; bacteria; biological metabolism; nanomaterials; water treatment.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Acidithiobacillus / chemistry*
Electric Power Supplies*
Lithium / chemistry*
Nanostructures / chemistry*
Nanotechnology / methods
Nanotubes / chemistry*

Substances

Lithium

Supplementary concepts

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans