Size and Shape Dependence of the Electrochemical Properties of Hematite Nanoparticles and Their Applications in Lithium Ion Batteries

Hematite nanoparticles are a type of promising electrode active materials for lithium ion batteries due to their low cost and high specific capacity. However, the cycling performances of hematite nanoparticles are not as good as those of the conventional electrode active materials for lithium ion batteries. This paper reports the study on the relationship between the electrochemical properties and the particle sizes and shapes, aiming to optimize the electrochemical properties of hematite nanoparticles for their applications in lithium ion batteries. Three types of hematite nanoparticles were compared, including hematite nanospheres with an average diameter of 200 nm, hematite nanoflakes with an average maximum dimension of 200 nm, and hematite nanospheres with an average diameter of 30 nm. Their crystalline structures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and their particle morphologies were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Composite electrode materials were made from hematite nanoparticles with carbon black as the conducting material and PVDF as the binding material (hematite : carbon black : PVDF = 70 : 15 : 15). Prototype lithium ion batteries (CR2032 button cells) were assembled with the composite electrodes as cathodes, metal lithium as anodes, and Celgard 2400 porous membrane as separators. It was found that in the first few cycles, the specific discharge capacity of hematite nanospheres with an average diameter of 30 nm is higher than those of the other two, while after first seven cycles, the specific discharge capacity of hematite nanospheres with an average diameter of 30 nm is lower than those of the other two. Possible approaches for improving the cycling performance and rate capacity of hematite nanoparticles are discussed at the end of this paper.