Large Scale Process for Low Crystalline MoO₃-Carbon Composite Microspheres Prepared by One-Step Spray Pyrolysis for Anodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries

• Main Author: Jung Sang Cho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-04-01
• Series: Nanomaterials
• Subjects: molybdenum oxide; carbon composite; spray pyrolysis; anodes; lithium-ion batteries
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/9/4/539

This paper introduces a large-scale and facile method for synthesizing low crystalline MoO₃/carbon composite microspheres, in which MoO₃ nanocrystals are distributed homogeneously in the amorphous carbon matrix, directly by a one-step spray pyrolysis. The MoO₃/carbon composite microspheres with mean diameters of 0.7 µm were directly formed from one droplet by a series of drying, decomposition, and crystalizing inside the hot-wall reactor within six seconds. The MoO₃/carbon composite microspheres had high specific discharge capacities of 811 mA h g^−1 after 100 cycles, even at a high current density of 1.0 A g^−1 when applied as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The MoO₃/carbon composite microspheres had final discharge capacities of 999, 875, 716, and 467 mA h g^−1 at current densities of 0.5, 1.5, 3.0, and 5.0 A g^−1, respectively. MoO₃/carbon composite microspheres provide better Li-ion storage than do bare MoO₃ powders because of their high structural stability and electrical conductivity.