Multiplex compounds of Ni, Cu, Co-based oxyphosphide nanowire arrays grown on Ni foam: A well-designed free-standing anode for high-capacity lithium storage

Mixed-metal oxides/phosphides with significant electrochemical activity have been considered as one of the most promising electrode materials alternatives for high-performance lithium storage. Based on this consideration, multiplex compounds of Ni, Cu, Co-based mixed-metal oxyphosphide nanowires arrays supported on nickel foams have been designed and fabricated successfully via an improved surfactant-assisted route, in which a facile hydrothermal reaction produced homogenously mixed Ni, Cu, Co-precursors and the following controllable oxidation and phosphidation were used to produce the oxyphosphide products. Different from traditional binary transition metal oxides or phosphides, three different kinds of metal cations and binary anions of O and P were introduced here and resulted in an enhanced synergistic effect to promote more efficient electrochemical reaction activity with Li+. Benefiting from the rational design of multiplex composition and the excellent 3D integrated structures assembled with 1D mesoporous nanowires, the obtained Ni, Cu, Co-based oxyphosphides exhibited remarkable lithium storage performance with high reversible capacities of 1354.6 mA h g(-1) after 200 cycles at the current density of 500 mA g(-1) and excellent rate capability. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.