Iron encapsulated in single-walled carbon nanotubes for obtaining the evidence of improved coulombic efficiency and improving the lithium battery performance of ZnO anodes

for a SWNT anode. The origination of this extra improved reversible capacity can be confirmed to be derived from the reversible reaction of SEI film activated by the Fe catalyst. Meanwhile, the Fe@SWNT anodes exhibited superior low-temperature (at 5 and -15 °C) electrochemical performance, which should be associated with an improved effect of the highly conducting Fe at low temperature, and with the activation of catalyst Fe on the reversible capacity. In addition, when Fe@SWNTs were developed as carriers for attaching ZnO, the ZnO/Fe@SWNTs can deliver much better LIB performance than anodes of pure ZnO and ZnO/SWNTs. Thus, catalyst modification supplied a promising route to obtain improved coulombic efficiency and reversible capacity for LIB nano-carbon based anodes.