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Abstract: We report a simple strategy to prepare a hybrid of lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12, LTO) nanoparticles well-dispersed on electrical conductive graphene nanosheets as an anode material for high rate lithium ion batteries. Lithium ion transport is facilitated by making pure phase Li4Ti5O12 particles in a nanosize to shorten the ion transport path. Electron transport is improved by forming a conductive graphene network throughout the insulating Li4Ti5O12 nanoparticles. The charge transfer resistance at the particle/electrolyte interface is reduced from 53.9Ω to 36.2Ω and the peak currents measured by a cyclic voltammogram are increased at each scan rate. The difference between charge and discharge plateau potentials becomes much smaller at all discharge rates because of lowered polarization. With 5wt.% graphene, the hybrid materials deliver a specific capacity of 122mAhg−1 even at a very high charge/discharge rate of 30C and exhibit an excellent cycling performance, with the first discharge capacity of 132.2mAhg−1 and less than 6% discharge capacity loss over 300 cycles at 20C. The outstanding electrochemical performance and acceptable initial columbic efficiency of the nano-Li4Ti5O12/graphene hybrid with 5wt.% graphene make it a promising anode material for high rate lithium ion batteries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this article, we propose a trilayer graphene/polypropylene/Al 2 O 3 (GPA) separator with dual function for high performance lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. Graphene is coated on one side of polypropylene (PP) separator, which functions as a conductive layer and an electrolyte reservoir that allows for rapid electron and ion transport. Then Al 2 O 3 particles are coated on the other side to further enhance thermal stability and safety of the graphene coated polypropylene (GCP) separator, which are touched with lithium metal anode in the Li–S battery. The GPA separator shows good thermal stability after heating at 157 °C for 10 min while both GCP and PP separators showing an obvious shrinkage about 10%. The initial discharge specific capacity of Li–S coin cell with a GPA separator could reach 1067.7 mAh g −1 at 0.2C. After 100 discharge/charge cycles, it can still deliver a reversible capacity of as high as 804.4 mAh g −1 with 75% capacity retention. The pouch cells further confirm that the trilayer design has great promise towards practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: One of the most attractive research areas in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is to design elaborate nanostructure of the electrode, which has been considered as keys to solve the problems such as the low energy density, slow lithium ion and electron transport, and the large volume change of electrode materials during cycling processes. Here, mesoporous Co3O4 with controllable structures was directly grown on a graphene membrane by hydrothermal reaction followed by annealing treatment, and used as an integrated anode in LIBs without using metallic current collector, binder and conductive additive. The light graphene membrane as current collector with high electrical conductivity and stability contributes to the high energy density of LIBs. A mesoporous structure with enough space is beneficial to lithium ion diffusion and strain buffer of Co3O4 during discharge/charge processes, rendering the electrodes high performance. The integrated electrode shows good rate capability and impressive cycling stability without capacity loss over 500 cycles under a high current density of 500 mA g−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nanocomposites of Mn3O4 nanoparticles and graphene (GR) nanosheets – Mn3O4@GR can be made by growing Mn3O4 nanoparticles directly on the surfaces of GR in solvothermal reactions. The asymmetric supercapacitors constructed with Mn3O4@GR as positive and activated carbon (AC) as negative electrodes, respectively, show highly enhanced performances in energy storage. It was found that the electrolytes employed in constructing electrodes of the devices can influence the performances of Mn3O4@GR supercapacitors dramatically. Compared to their energy density in KOH electrolyte, the devices exhibit improved charge storage performances in Na2SO4 electrolyte. Furthermore, the charge storage abilities of the devices are closely related to the amount of Mn3O4 nanoparticles loaded onto the surface of GR nanosheets. The performances of Mn3O4@GR//AC asymmetric supercapacitors can be optimized by carefully tailoring the composition of electrode materials and adjusting the electrolytes for making the devices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]