Facile synthesis of C–FeF(2) nanocomposites from CFx: influence of carbon precursor on reversible lithium storage

Transition metal fluorides are an important class of cathode materials for lithium batteries owing to their high specific energy and safety. However, metal fluorides are electrical insulators, exhibiting slow reaction kinetics with Li. Consequently, metal fluorides can show poor electrochemical performance. Instead, carbon–metal fluoride nanocomposites (CMNFCs) were suggested to enhance electrochemical activity. Chemical synthesis of CMNFCs poses particular challenges due to the poor chemical stability of metal fluorides. Recently, we reported a facile one-step method to synthesize carbon–FeF(2) nanocomposites by reacting fluorinated carbon (CFx) with iron pentacarbonyl (Fe(CO)(5)) at 250 °C. The method resulted in C–FeF(2) nanocomposites with improved electrochemical properties. Here, we have synthesized four different C–FeF(2) nanocomposites by reacting four different CFx precursors made of petro-coke, carbon black, graphite, and carbon-fibers with Fe(CO)(5). Electrochemical performance of all four C–FeF(2) nanocomposites was evaluated at 25 °C and 40 °C. It is shown that the nature of CFx has a critical impact on the electrochemical performance of the corresponding C–FeF(2) nanocomposites. The C–FeF(2) nanocomposites were characterized by using various experimental techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, resistivity measurement, and (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy to shed light on the differences in electrochemical behaviour of different C–FeF(2) nanocomposites.