Synthesis and superior electrochemical properties of shaggy hollow Zn-doped Fe2O3 nanospheres for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Hollow Zn-doped Fe2O3 nanospheres were fabricated by a facile solvothermal method followed by post-annealing treatment. The as-synthesized hollow nanospheres have a uniform size with a diameter of about 200-500 nm. The growth mechanism of the hollow Zn-doped Fe2O3 nanospheres was proposed based on many contrast experiments. Compared with Fe2O3 without Zn doping, hollow Zn-doped nanospheres showed an improved electrochemical performance in terms of high rate capability and long cycling performance. At current densities of 1 A g(-1) and 2 A g(-1), Zn-doped Fe2O3 exhibited an initial capacity of 861.5 and 698.4 mA h g(-1), respectively, and the capacity was maintained at 580 and 470 mA h g(-1) after 500 cycles. These excellent electrochemical properties can be attributed to the unique hollow nanostructure, and Zn doping makes the crystal structure more stable during discharge/charge cycles.