The thermal expansion exfoliation technology and lithium promoter assistant afford CuO x /graphene as a high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries

The ability to rationally design a copper oxide anode with superior rate performance that possesses an ultra-small particle size is highly desirable for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, the rapid and effective thermal expansion exfoliation technology was employed to synthesize ultra-small CuO x nanoparticles (∼2.7 nm) uniformly dispersed on graphite oxide after popping (CuO x /Li-PGO), in which the addition of lithium promoted the exfoliation process to obtain an enlarged specific surface area and efficient transfer ability of PGO. The CuO x /Li-PGO electrode achieved a reversible capacity as high as 512.1 mA h g −1 under 2.0 A g −1 after 1000 cycles, demonstrating superior rate performance and cycling stability.