LiFePO 4 – 3 D carbon nanofiber composites as cathode materials for Li-ions batteries L. Dimesso* 1 , C. Spanheimer 1 , W. Jaegermann 1,§ , Y. Zhang 2 and A. L. Yarin 2,§ 1 Darmstadt University of Technology, Materials Science Department, Petersenstrasse 23, D- 64287 (Germany) 2 University of Illinois at Chicago W. Taylor Str. 842, Chicago, IL 60607, USA § Center of Smart Interfaces, Darmstadt University of Technology, Petersenstrasse 32, D-64287 Darmstadt Abstract: The characterization of carbon nanofiber 3D nonwovens, prepared by electrospinning process, coated with olivine structured lithium iron phosphate is reported. The LiFePO 4 as cathode material for lithium ion batteries was prepared by a Pechini-assisted reversed polyol process. The coating has been successfully performed on carbon nanofiber 3D nonwovens by soaking in aqueous solution containing lithium, iron salts and phosphates at 70°C for 2-4 h. After drying-out, the composites were annealed at 600°C for 5 h under nitrogen. The surface investigation of the prepared composites showed a uniform coating of the carbon nonwoven nanofibers as well as the formation of cauliflowers-like crystalline structures which are uniformly distributed all over the surface area of the carbon nanofibers. The electrochemical measurements on the composites showed good performances delivering a discharge specific capacity of 156mAhg -1 at a discharging rate of C/25 and 152mAhg -1 at a discharging rate of C/10 at room temperature. *Corresponding author: Dr. Lucangelo Dimesso Darmstadt University of Technology Materials Science Department Surface Investigation Division Tel. nr: +49 - (0) - 6151 – 16 - 69667 Fax nr: +49 - (0) - 6151 - 16 - 6308 Email address: ldimesso@surface.tu-darmstadt.de 1