Title: Synthesis and characterisation of double-walled carbon nanotube/cobalt oxide nanocomposite for the application of anode material for lithium ion batteries

Authors: Omar A. Al-Hartomy

Addresses: Physics Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: This paper presents a novel description of synthesis and characterisation of double-walled carbon nanotube/cobalt oxide nanocomposite for its application as non-toxic, high capacity anodic material for lithium ion batteries. Double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) are synthesised using a simple flotation chemical vapour deposition technique by adding a small amount of sulphur into the catalyst. The structural, compositions and morphology of the as synthesised DWCNTs/cobalt oxide nanocomposite is performed using SEM, TEM, EDX and XRD. A 500 MHz NMR spectroscopy is also used to analyse spectrum of nanocomposite to confirm the chemicals present in the sample. The galvanostatic measurement confirms that the nanocomposite electrode show lithium storage capacity of 1575 mAh/g (milli ampere hour per gram) in the first discharge over 100 cycle. Such high storage capacity of energy through electrochemical reactions has popularised the need of daily increasing energy demand in the form of lithium ion batteries. Lithium ion batteries are now used in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs).

Keywords: doubled-walled CNTs; carbon nanotubes; DWCNTs; lithium ion batteries; electrochemical reaction; nanotechnology; cobalt oxide; nanocomposites; anodic material; nanocomposite electrodes; lithium storage capacity; hybrid electric vehicles; HEVs; hybrid vehicles.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2014.064869

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2014 Vol.7 No.2, pp.133 - 141

Received: 27 Jan 2014
Accepted: 05 Mar 2014
Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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