High‐Rate Capable Full‐Cell Lithium‐Ion Battery based on a Conversion Anode and an Intercalation Cathode

Porous Fe 2 O 3 nanostructures are synthesized by using a simple polyol method and used as an anode along with commercial‐grade LiCoO 2 as the cathode to study full‐cell lithium‐ion battery applications. The half‐cell performance of Fe 2 O 3 exhibits a high reversible capacity of 903 mAh/g at 1C rate. Commercial LiCoO 2 also delivers a stable capacity of 131 mAh/g at 1C rate after 50 cycles. A full cell is constructed by using Fe 2 O 3 anode and LiCoO 2 cathode, and the mass loadings are adjusted such that no pre‐activation is required. The as‐constructed LiCoO 2 ‐Fe 2 O 3 full cell exhibits a stable capacity of 800 mAh/g (capacity based on anode mass) at 1C after 100 charge‐discharge cycles with 91 % capacity retention. The rate capability test shows that the full cell is high rate capable and could withstand high currents up to 5C. A pouch cell (300 mAh, 3 V nominal voltage) is constructed with Fe 2 O 3 anode and LiCoO 2 cathode, and is demonstrated to power a solar study lamp (aimed for rural application) and an ultra‐bright LED array (50 ultra‐bright LEDs, with 3 V and 50 mA ratings for a single LED).