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Preparation and electrochemical performance of bramble-like ZnO array as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

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Abstract

A bramble-like ZnO array with a special three-dimensional (3D) nanostructure was successfully fabricated on Zn foil through a facile two-step hydrothermal process. A possible growth mechanism of the bramble-like ZnO array was proposed. In the first step of hydrothermal process, the crystal nucleus of Zn(OH) 2−4 generated by the zinc atoms and OH− ions fold together preferentially along the positive polar (0001) to form the needle-like ZnO array. In the second step of hydrothermal process, the crystal nuclei of Zn(OH) 2−4 adjust their posture to keep their c-axes vertical to the perching sites due to the sufficient environmental force and further grow preferentially along the (0001) direction so as to form bramble-like ZnO array. The electrochemical properties of the needle- and bramble-like ZnO arrays as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries were investigated and compared. The results show that the bramble-like ZnO material exhibits much better lithium storage properties than the needle-like ZnO sample. Reasons for the enhanced electrochemical performance of the bramble-like ZnO material were investigated.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 60976069 and 21061130551), the Natural Science Foundation of ShaanXi Province, China (No. 2010JM6008), and the Xi’an Scientific and Technological Project, China (No. CXY1008).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Information Science and Technology, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, People’s Republic of China

    Junfeng Yan, Zhiyong Zhang, Xiongfei Ruan, Wu Zhao, Jiangni Yun & Manzhang Xu

  2. Institute of Photonics & Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, People’s Republic of China

    Gang Wang

  3. College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, People’s Republic of China

    Hui Wang

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  1. Junfeng Yan
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  2. Gang Wang
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  3. Hui Wang
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  4. Zhiyong Zhang
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  5. Xiongfei Ruan
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  6. Wu Zhao
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  7. Jiangni Yun
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  8. Manzhang Xu
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Correspondence to Hui Wang.

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Yan, J., Wang, G., Wang, H. et al. Preparation and electrochemical performance of bramble-like ZnO array as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. J Nanopart Res 17, 52 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-015-2870-3

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