Cr₂O₃ nanosheet/carbon cloth anode with strong interaction and fast charge transfer for pseudocapacitive energy storage in lithium-ion batteries

Flexible lithium-ion batteries have attracted considerable interest for next-generation bendable, implantable and wearable electronics devices. Here, we have successfully grown Cr₂O₃ nanosheets on carbon cloth (CC) as freestanding anodes for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations verify an optimal structure of two-dimensional Cr₂O₃ nanosheets on the carbon fiber surface and a strong interaction between the O edges of Cr₂O₃ and the carbon. The interconnected Cr₂O₃ nanosheets with a large surface area enable fast charge transfer by efficient contact with electrolyte while the flexible CC substrate accommodates the volume change during cycles, leading to excellent rate capability and cyclic stability through psuedocapacitance-dominant energy storage. Full cells are assembled using the Cr₂O₃-CC anode and a LiFePO₄ cathode, which deliver excellent capacity retention and rate capability. The fully-charged cell is demonstrated to power a red light-emitting diode (LED), verifying the potential of Cr₂O₃-CC as a promising anode material for LIBs.