Effects of pretreatment of natural graphite by oxidative solutions on its electrochemical performance as anode material

Modification of natural graphite has recently moved into the focus of methods to prepare anode materials for lithium ion batteries. Here we report a treatment method for the modification of a common natural graphite employing oxidative solutions. Four solutions based on H₂O₂, Ce(SO₄)₂, HNO₃ and (NH₄)₂S₂O₈ were employed; their effects were investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimmetric and differential thermal analysis, high resolution electron microscopy and measurement of electrochemical capacity. All oxidants resulted in marked improvements of reversible capacity, columbic efficiency in the first cycle and cycling behavior due to elimination of some imperfections with high activities towards lithium such as carbon chains, edge carbon atoms and sp³-hybridized carbon atoms, creation of more micropores/nano-channels, modification of the surface of natural graphite with a coverage of a dense layer of oxides, and improvement in stability of graphite structure. Effects of the oxidative solutions on electrochemical performance of natural graphite are compared.