Microwave-Induced In Situ Synthesis of Zn2GeO4/N-Doped Graphene Nanocomposites and Their Lithium-Storage Properties.

Zn₂GeO₄/N-doped graphene nanocomposites have been synthesized through a fast microwave-assisted route on a large scale. The resulting nanohybrids are comprised of Zn₂GeO₄ nanorods that are well-embedded in N-doped graphene sheets by in situ reducing and doping. Importantly, the N-doped graphene sheets serve as elastic networks to disperse and electrically wire together the Zn₂GeO₄ nanorods, thereby effectively relieving the volume-expansion/contraction and aggregation of the nanoparticles during charge and discharge processes. We demonstrate that an electrode that is made of the as-formed Zn₂GeO₄/N-doped graphene nanocomposite exhibits high capacity (1463 mAh g⁻¹ at a current density of 100 mA g⁻¹), good cyclability, and excellent rate capability (531 mAh g⁻¹ at a current density of 3200 mA g⁻¹). Its superior lithium-storage performance could be related to a synergistic effect of the unique nanostructured hybrid, in which the Zn₂GeO₄ nanorods are well-stabilized by the high electronic conduction and flexibility of N-doped graphene sheets. This work offers an effective strategy for the fabrication of functionalized ternary-oxide-based composites as high-performance electrode materials that involve structural conversion and transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]