Synthesis of α-Fe₂O₃dendrites by a hydrothermal approach and their application in lithium-ion batteries

Hematite α-Fe 2 O 3 dendrites with lengths of 1–4.5 µm along the trunk were synthesized by a low-temperature hydrothermal method. The morphology and the crystal structure of the final products were characterized. The magnetic evaluations showed that the as-prepared α-Fe 2 O 3 dendrites have a high coercivity. The electrochemical performance as anode material for lithium-ion batteries was further evaluated by charge–discharge measurement. It was demonstrated that the material could provide an initial capacity of 1560 mA h g −1 , 1095 mA h g −1 and 670 mA h g −1 at a current density of 0.1 mA cm −2 , 0.2 mA cm −2 and 1 mA cm −2 , respectively.