Graphene-Stabilized Borophane Composite Anode for High Performance Lithium-ion (Li-ion) Batteries

The outstanding mechanical and electronic properties of borophane make it an ideal candidate for nanoelectronics applications, In addition, higher Li loading amount (Li0.445B2H2) with theoretical capacity as high as 504 mAh/g consistent to the theoretical binding energy analysis of lithium atoms on borophane, makes it point of angle to focus promising anode aspirant for lithium-ion batteries. Though, volume expansion is quite inevitable in these types of materials, thus hampering its application aspect in Li-ion battery anodes. Also, as far as we know, no actual testing investigation was made in exploring it as an anode for energy storage applications. In the present study, novel borophane-graphene composite has been synthesized by controlling the chemical properties at the boundary between the two materials borophane and oxygenated derivative of graphene (i.e.) graphene oxide and subsequently used it as an anode material for Li-ion batteries. The main reason for this study of making composite is to combine the complementary advantages of both materials while overcoming their individual limitations, especially for energy storage (Li-ion battery anode) applications. Synthesis of borophane-graphene composite involves two steps with the first step being the synthesis of borophane from magnesium boride followed by the hydroboration reaction on graphene oxide sheets generating borophane-graphene composites. Successful synthesis of borophane-graphene composites has been corroborated using various characterization tools Electrochemical characterization of lithium ion half cells fabricated using borophane-graphene composite anode delivers the amount of electric charge during discharge of 627 mAhg-1, with the reversible discharge ability of 404 mAhg-1 after test involving repeated 100 cycles, ensuring it as a perspective anode option for lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technology