Preparation of ZnFe(2)O(4)/α-Fe(2)O(3) Nanocomposites From Sulfuric Acid Leaching Liquor of Jarosite Residue and Their Application in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Recycling Zn and Fe from jarosite residue to produce high value-added products is of great importance to the healthy and sustainable development of zinc industry. In this work, we reported the preparation of ZnFe(2)O(4)/α-Fe(2)O(3) nanocomposites from the leaching liquor of jarosite residue by a facile chemical coprecipitation method followed by heat treatment at 800°C in air. The microstructure of the as-prepared ZnFe(2)O(4)/α-Fe(2)O(3) nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mössbauer spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS). The results demonstrated that the ZnFe(2)O(4)/α-Fe(2)O(3) composites are composed of interconnected ZnFe(2)O(4) and α-Fe(2)O(3) nanocrystals with sizes in the range of 20–40 nm. When evaluated as anode material for Li-ion batteries, the ZnFe(2)O(4)/α-Fe(2)O(3) nanocomposites exhibits high lithium storage activity, superior cyclic stability, and good high rate capability. Cyclic voltammetry analysis reveals that surface pseudocapacitive lithium storage has a significant contribution to the total stored charge of the ZnFe(2)O(4)/α-Fe(2)O(3), which accounts for the enhanced lithium storage performance during cycling. The synthesis of ZnFe(2)O(4)/α-Fe(2)O(3) nanocomposites from the leaching liquor of jarosite residue and its successful application in lithium-ion batteries open up new avenues in the fields of healthy and sustainable development of industries.