NiCo2O4 loaded on jute fiber porous carbon as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

With the continuous development of science and technology, there is an increasing demand for batteries, and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are favored due to their compact size, strong energy storage capacity, long cycle life, lack of memory effect, and environmental friendliness, etc. The high theoretical specific capacity of NiCo₂O₄ makes it a promising material for an anode. However, it has many drawbacks, including a slow ion transfer rate and an easy way for volume to expand during charging and discharging. To address these limitations, we have developed a composite material. Jute fiber porous carbon was successfully prepared by high-temperature activation using jute fiber as the carbon matrix and potassium carbonate as the activator, and NiCo₂O₄ was loaded onto the jute fiber porous carbon and named NiCo₂O₄@JFPC. The jute fiber porous carbon serves as a carbon matrix that effectively improves the electrical conductivity of the composites while also slowing down the volume expansion caused by the frequent embedding/de-embedding of lithium ions, and at the same time, providing more effective paths for the transport of lithium ions. The NiCo₂O₄@JFPC composites were synthesized by solvothermal method. The effects of varying calcination temperatures (250, 350, and 450 °C) on the properties of the composites were investigated. The discharge capacity of NiCo₂O₄@JFPC-350 reached 1217.9 mAh g⁻¹ after 100 cycles at 0.2C at a calcination temperature of 350 °C.