Large-scale production of h-In2O3/carbon nanocomposites with enhanced lithium storage properties

h-In2O3/carbon nanocomposites were obtained via a facile ball milling process from a mixture of h-In2O3 nanoparticles and Super P carbon. Compared to pure h-In2O3 nanoparticles, the nanocomposites exhibited an initial discharge capacity of 1360 mAh g(-1), a stable reversible capacity of 867 mAh g(-1) after 100 cycles as well as a high coulombic efficiency of 99%. The superior lithium-ion battery performance can be attributed to the specific structure of h-In2O3 and the uniform and continuous nano-carbon coating layers. The nano-carbon coating could protect the inner active materials from fragmentation and increase the electronic conductivity. This study not only provides a promising electrode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries, but also further demonstrates a straightforward, effective and environmental friendly process for synthesizing nanocomposites. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.