Facile Preparation of Interlocked Fe₂O₃/MOF Composite for Boosted Rate and Cycle Performance of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Ironoxide (Fe2O3) is emerging as a potentialanode alternative for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to the meritsof high specific capacity, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness.However, trapped by unsatisfactory cycling stability and rate capability,further modification is needed for Fe2O3 toachieve practical requirements. In this study, a Fe2O3-based composite anode (namely Fe2O3@HA-Fe-BPDC) with interlocked structure was designed and synthesizedfor pursuing enhanced electrochemical properties. Benefiting fromthe porous structure, abundant active sites, and good tolerance tovolume expansion, the as-prepared electrode exhibits significantlyboosted rate capability, excellent specific capacity, and satisfactoryreversibility. Typically, the Fe2O3@HA-Fe-BPDCanode provided an excellent specific capacity of 708 mAh g(-1) at 0.1 A g(-1) and remained at a high level of 332mAh g(-1) at 1 A g(-1), deliveringsignificantly improved rate performance than Fe2O3. Additionally, outstanding capacity retention (95.4%) was achievedat 1 A g(-1) after 600 charge/discharge cycles. Thestrategy based on the facile coprecipitation for fabricating Fe2O3 and MOF composite electrodes provides a feasibletechnique to develop a high-performance anode for LIBs.