Fe2O3-encapsulated SiC nanowires with superior electrochemical properties as anode materials for the lithium-ion batteries

In this paper, 1D Fe2O3@SiC nanowires (NWs) were successfully synthesized by the high-temperature arc plasma with a subsequent oxidation process. Fe2O3 was encapsulated at the tip of SiC NWs, which features the advantages such as no side reactions, excellent mechanical flexibility, and good conductivity. This 1D structure can effectively accommodate volume expansion and inhibit mechanical degradation, while the conductive network greatly expands the electrode-electrolyte contact area, greatly promoting the conduction of electrons and the diffusion of Li+ ions, which leads to a remarkable improvement of the electrochemical performance. Benefiting from these structural advantages, the Fe2O3@SiC NW electrode delivers a reversible capacity of 656 mAh g(-1) at 0.2 A g(-1) after 100 cycles, and even up to 567 mAh g(-1) at a high current density of 3 A g(-1) after 500 cycles. This work offers an attractive strategy for the construction of the Fe2O3@SiC NW electrodes, which have great potential to meet the high-performance requirements for LIBs.