The application of hematite in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been severely limited because of its poor cycling stability and rate performance. To solve this problem, hematite nanoparticles with oxygen vacancies have been rationally designed by a facile sol–gel method and a sequential carbon-thermic reduction process. Thanks to the existence of oxygen vacancies, the electrochemical performance of the as-obtained hematite nanoparticles is greatly enhancing. When used as the anode material in LIBs, it can deliver a reversible capacity of 1252 mAh g−1at 2 C after 400&...
