Jarosite Nanosheets Fabricated via Room-Temperature Synthesis as Cathode Materials for High-Rate Lithium Ion Batteries

Two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures of earth-abundant jarosite and their analogues were fabricated for the first time by a facile template-assisted redox co-precipitation method at room temperature. When evaluated as cathode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), the as-prepared 2D materials deliver high capacities and good rate capability and cycling performance. As for jarosite KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 nanosheets (KNSs), the reversible capacities of 117, 114, and 75 mAh g–1 were achieved at 0.2, 1, and 10 C, respectively, 4–13 times higher than those of bulk sample. Capacity retentions of above 90% are both obtained after 50 cycles at 2 and 10 C. Such findings show that 2D jarosite nanostructures would be promising cathode materials for next-generation LIBs.