Novel spinel nanocomposites of NixCo1−xFe2O4 nanoparticles with N-doped graphene for lithium ion batteries.

A dual-doping strategy was applied to fabricate the novel electrode materials. For the first time, the spinel hybrids of nanosized Ni x Co 1−x Fe 2 O 4 with N-doped graphene (N x -NG) were synthesized by a hydrothermal co-precipitation method. The size of Ni x Co 1−x Fe 2 O 4 (N x) nanoparticles on N-doped graphene can be tuned with the regulation of Ni/Co content. Among these nanocomposites, the Ni 0.4 Co 0.6 Fe 2 O 4 nanoparticles with the smallest average size of 10 nm are uniformly anchored on the N-doped graphene. The electrochemical characterizations display that the N 0.4 -NG exhibits the best electrochemical lithium storage performance compared to other five nanocomposites. It delivers a high capacity of 1367.0 mA h g−1 at the first discharge process，and the reversible capacity retention of 87% (2nd to 50th) at 0.1 A g−1. The excellent electrochemical performance of N 0.4 -NG can be owing to the small size of nanoparticles and its well-combination with N-doped graphene, which provide the large surface area and promote the ion/electron transfer rate. The synergistic effect resulted from the strong interaction between N 0.4 and N-doped graphene is contributed to the enhanced electrochemical performance of N 0.4 -NG. This study not only extends graphene-based electrode materials for lithium ion battery, but also promotes the development of energy resources. Unlabelled Image • A spinel hybrid of nanosized Ni x Co 1-x Fe 2 O 4 with N-doped graphene was fabricated. • Size of Ni x Co 1−x Fe 2 O 4 nanoparticles was tuned with the regulation of Ni/Co content. • A reversible capacity of 785.2 mA h g−1 of N 0.4 -NG after 50 cycles was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]