Magnetite (Fe
A method of synthesizing an electrode material for lithium ion batteries from Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) to yield (Fe 3 O 4 -NWNTs) composite heterostructures. The method includes linking the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes using a π-π interaction synthesis process to yield the composite heterostructure electrode material. Since Fe 3 O 4 has an intermediate voltage, it can be considered an anode (when paired with a higher voltage material) or a cathode (when paired with a lower voltage material).
1. A method of synthesizing an electrode material for lithium-ion batteries from Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and acid-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) to yield composite heterostructures (Fe 3 O 4 -MWNTs), the method comprising:
linking the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and the acid-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes using a π-π interaction synthesis process to yield the composite heterostructure electrode material.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of linking includes acid-functionalizing the multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) includes oxidizing and coating surfaces of the MWNTs with oxygenated moieties comprising carboxylic acid.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the linking anchors the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles onto the surfaces of the acid-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to linking, the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles are first functionalized with 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) linker molecules.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the functionalizing includes dispersing Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles in an ethanolic solution of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) and stirring to facilitate either a mondentate or bidentate coordination mode between terminal carboxylic acid groups of 4-MBA linker molecules and corresponding Fe sites localized on the Fe 3 O 4 surfaces.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising isolating the functionalized Fe 3 O 4 including removing any unbound 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) linker molecules.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the anchoring includes sonicating a solution comprising the 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA)functionalized Fe 3 O 4 , the oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes, ethanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to form stable π-π interactions between phenyl rings within the 4-MBA linker molecules and an underlying multiwalled carbon nanotube network of the multiwalled carbon nanotubes.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (NPs) have an average size in a range of 8-10 nm.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles are provided in solution at a loading ratio of 50 wt %.
10. An anode fabricated with an electrode material synthesized by the method of claim 1 .
11. A cathode fabricated with an electrode material synthesized by the method of claim 1 .
12. An electrode for a lithium-ion cell or battery fabricated with an electrode material synthesized by the method of claim 1 , wherein upon pairing the electrode with a pairing electrode fabricated with a higher voltage material during intended use in a lithium-ion cell or battery, the electrode functions as an anode and the pairing electrode of the higher voltage material functions as a cathode and wherein upon pairing the electrode with a pairing electrode fabricated with a lower voltage material, the electrode functions as an anode and the pairing electrode of higher voltage material functions as a cathode.
13. An electrode for a lithium-ion cell or battery, fabricated with an electrode material synthesized according to the method of claim 1 .
14. A lithium-ion cell or battery comprising an electrode fabricated with the electrode material synthesized by the method of claim 1 .
15. An electrode material for lithium-ion batteries, comprising Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles with attached 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) linker molecules and acid-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) linked by π-π interactions with the 4-MBA linker molecules, forming (Fe 3 O 4 -MWNTs) composite heterostructure electrode materials.
16. The electrode material of claim 15 , wherein the 4-mercaptbenzoic acid (4-MBA) linker molecules include phenyl rings and the π-π interactions occur between the phenyl rings and the acid-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs).
17. The electrode material of claim 15 , wherein the surfaces of the acid-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) include an oxidized carboxylic acid coating.
18. The electrode material of claim 15 , wherein the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles have an average size in a range of 8-10 nm.
19. An electrode fabricated with the electrode material of claim 15 .
20. An anode fabricated with an electrode material of claim 15 .
21. A cathode fabricated with an electrode material of claim 15 .
22. An electrode for a lithium-ion cell or battery fabricated with an electrode of claim 15 , wherein upon pairing the electrode with a pairing electrode fabricated with a higher voltage material during intended use in a lithium-ion cell or battery, the electrode functions as an anode and the pairing electrode of the higher voltage material functions as a cathode and wherein upon pairing the electrode with a pairing electrode fabricated with a lower voltage material, the electrode functions as an anode and the pairing electrode of higher voltage material functions as a cathode.
23. A lithium ion battery including an electrode fabricated from with the electrode material synthesized according to the method of claim 1 .