Synthesis and Application of Phosphorus/Co(3)O(4)–CuO Hybrid as High-Performance Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

[Image: see text] The present study reports a novel red phosphorus (RP)/Co(3)O(4)–CuO hybrid as a high-performance anode material for lithium ion battery that was successfully synthesized by simple sol gel method and followed by facile ball milling of red phosphorus. Herein, we outstandingly improved practical application of RP anode (with its natural insulation property and rapid capacity decay in during the lithiation process) in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) by confining nanosized amorphous RP into the Co(3)O(4)–CuO nanoparticle while RP can improve the electrochemical capacity returning and increased capacity of composite in high current density. This bonding can help maintain electrical contact, prevent to escape RP from the electrode and confirm the solid electrolyte interphase upon the large volume change of RP during cycling. As a result, by judicious usage of components in the RP/Co(3)O(4)–CuO hybrid nanostructured anode was achieved an initial Coulombic efficiency of 99.8% at a current density of 50 mA g(–1) and an enhanced cycling stability (683.63 and 470.11 mAh g(–1) after 60 cycles at a density of 0.1 and 1 A g(1–)) with interesting cycling capacity at high current density of 3 Ag(1–) (333.81 mAh g(–1)). Moreover, the composite electrode can still deliver a specific capacity of about 97.4% of initial capacity after cycling at high rates and returning to the initial current density of 0.1 A g(1–).