ZnO Microrod Arrays Grown on Copper Substrates as Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

ZnO microrod arrays are prepared on copper substrate by a simple chemical bath deposition method. The arrays are characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As anode materials of lithium ion batteries, their electrochemical performances are investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge cycle tests. The electrochemical test results show that ZnO microrod arrays not only have an initial coulombic efficiency of 78.5% and a reversible capacity above 600 mAh g−1, but also exhibit enhanced cycling performance and rate capability. It is believed that the microrod array structure plays an important role in the electrochemical performance.