Enhancing Electrochemical Performance of Co(OH)2 Anode Materials by Introducing Graphene for Next-Generation Li-ion Batteries

To satisfy the growing demand for high-performance batteries, diverse novel anode materials with high specific capacities have been developed to replace commercial graphite. Among them, cobalt hydroxides have received considerable attention as promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries as they exhibit a high reversible capacity owing to the additional reaction of LiOH, followed by conversion reaction. In this study, we introduced graphene in the fabrication of Co(OH)₂-based anode materials to further improve electrochemical performance. The resultant Co(OH)₂/graphene composite exhibited a larger reversible capacity of ~1090 mAh g^-1, compared with ~705 mAh g^-1 for bare Co(OH)₂. Synchrotron-based analyses were conducted to explore the beneficial effects of graphene on the composite material. The experimental results demonstrate that introducing graphene into Co(OH)₂ facilitates both the conversion and reaction of the LiOH phase and provides additional lithium storage sites. In addition to insights into how the electrochemical performance of composite materials can be improved, this study also provides an effective strategy for designing composite materials.