Abstract
With the increasing demand for efficient and environmentally friendly energy storage, developing alternatives to commercial graphite anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has become a major research focus. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a promising candidate due to its high theoretical capacity (978 mAh/g), but its practical application is limited by large volume expansion, low electrical conductivity, and poor cycling stability. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) Zn/ZnO foam was synthesized via thermal oxidation and then coated with carbon through carbonization of polyethylene oxide (PEO). The 3D porous structure facilitates ion and electron transport, while the carbon coating mitigates volume changes during cycling and enhances overall conductivity. Structural and chemical analyses using XRD, SEM, SEM-EDS, and FTIR confirmed the successful fabrication of the Zn/ZnO@C composite. Electrochemical tests showed that Zn/ZnO@C maintained a specific capacity of approximately 380 mAh/g after 100 cycles at a current density of 50 mA/g, compared to only 100 mAh/g for the uncoated Zn/ZnO sample. This significant improvement in performance highlights the potential of carbon-coated Zn/ZnO foam as a high-performance anode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries.