Synthesis and electrochemical properties of FeCO₃with different morphology for lithium-ion battery application

FeCO₃with the morphology of microspheres and rice-like were successfully fabricated by a facile mixed solvothermal method by using urea and ammonium bicarbonate as precipitants, respectively. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties of the samples were investigated by battery testing system. The influences of different precipitants on its structure, morphology and the electrochemical properties were also discussed. The results showed that the diameter of FeCO₃microspheres (FCO-1) was 8–10 μm by using urea as precipitant, while the size of FeCO₃rice-like (FCO-2) by using ammonium bicarbonate as precipitant was 0.5–1.0 μm. When used as an anode material for lithium ion batteries, FCO-1 and FCO-2 delivered the initial specific discharge capacities of 1563.54 and 1518.09 mAh g⁻¹at the current density of 100 mA g⁻¹in the voltage range of 0.01–3 V and remained its reversible value of 854.65 and 1019.47 mAh g⁻¹over 100 cycles, respectively. The FCO-2 still possessed a considerable capacity of 890.23 mAh g⁻¹at a high current density of 500 mA g⁻¹. Therefore, FCO-2 synthesized through using ammonium bicarbonate as precipitant could be a potential anode candidate for lithium ion batteries. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.