Conducting additive-free amorphous GeO2/C composite as a high capacity and long-term stability anode for lithium ion batteries.

In this study, a novel method has been proposed for synthesizing amorphous GeO2/C composites. The amorphous GeO2/C composite without carbon black as an electrode for Li-ion batteries exhibited a high specific capacity of 914 mA h g(-1) at the rate of C/2 and enhanced rate capability. The amorphous GeO2/C electrode exhibited excellent electrochemical stability with a 95.3% charge capacity retention after 400 charge-discharge cycles, even at a high current charge-discharge of C/2. Furthermore, a full cell employing the GeO2/C anode and the LiCoO2 cathode displayed outstanding cycling performance. The superior performance of the GeO2/C electrode enables the amorphous GeO2/C to be a potential anode material for secondary Li-ion batteries.