Preparation and Characterizations of Carbon Nanospheres Derived from Activated Carbons and Palm Oil as Anode Materials of Lithium Secondary Batteries.

Carbon nanospheres (CNSs) with diameter of around 100 nm were synthesized by pyrolysis technique using activated carbon as Fe-catalyst support and palm oil as carbon precursors with various ratios. Firstly, the Fe catalyst were deposited onto the activated carbon by incipient wetness impregnation method using Fe(NO3)2 x 9H2O as precursors with various content of catalyst (5%, 7% and 10% with respect to the carbon support). The carbon products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, Raman spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Preliminary electrochemical characteristics of as-synthesized CNSs as anode materials of lithium secondary batteries were conducted using Cyclic Voltammetry to observe the mechanism of Li-ion insertion/extraction during charge-discharge tests.