Improving the cycle performance of MgFe2O4 anode material based on the spatial limiting effect

•MFO/NPCNF was synthesized by electrospinning and space confinement strategy.•MFO are in-situ spatially confined grown in the porous channel structure of NPCNF.•Structure design and interfacial lithium storage enhance the cycle performance.•Even cycling at 10 A g−1, the capacity is still 359.5 mAh g−1 kept. A sesame straw-like MFO/NPCNF composite was first designed and synthesized by electrostatic spinning and space confinement strategy. The superior structure design and interfacial lithium storage significantly enhance the electrochemical performance. [Display omitted] A sesame straw-like MgFe2O4/N-doped hollow porous carbon nanofiber (MFO/NPCNF) composite was first designed and synthesized successfully by electrostatic spinning and spatial confinement strategy. Spherical MgFe2O4 nanoparticles about 15 nm are in-situ spatially confined grown and well dispersed in the porous and hollow structure of NPCNF by the interaction between ultrafine MgFe2O4 nanoparticles and N-doped site, which can not only improve the conductivity, promote the penetration of electrolyte, accelerate the transfer of lithium ions and enhance the reaction kinetics, but also buffer the volume expansion and improve the cycling capacity and stability. Owing to the superior structure design, the MFO/NPCNF anode shows a high cycle capacity of 1205.8 mAh g−1 after 250 cycles at 0.5 A g−1 and excellent rate performance with 359.5 mAh g−1 at a current density up to 10 A g−1, which is near to the theoretical specific capacity of commercial graphite.