Gram-Scale Production of Graphene Powder via a Quasi-physical Process and Its Application in Electrode Material for Lithium-Ion Battery

Graphene powder is an attractive conducting additive for the electrodes of lithium-ion battery (LIB). However, the practical application of graphene is hampered by the lack of reliable methods for its production. Here, the authors report a promising method for the synthesis of graphene powder, which exhibits the functionalities both in gram-scale production and high-quality products. As a validation, the authors show that the introduced graphene matrix can greatly improve the electrochemical activity and cycle stability of the Co ₃ O ₄ nanoparticles. Typically, when 40 wt% of graphene is introduced, the obtained Co ₃ O ₄ /graphene nanocomposite can stably cycle up to more than 50 cycles with a reversible capacity above 530 mAh g ⁻¹ . Simultaneously, a limited initial irreversible capacity less than 40 mAh g ⁻¹ is also achieved. The attainment of such properties in Co ₃ O ₄ /graphene nanocomposite offers the prospects for the practical applications of graphene in industry for better LIBs.