Iron
oxide anode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries
have garnered extensive attention because of their inexpensiveness,
safety, and high theoretical capacity. Nanostructured iron oxide anodes
often undergo negative fading, that is, unconventional capacity increase,
which results in a capacity increasing upon cycling. However, the
detailed mechanism of negative fading still remains unclear, and there
is no consensus on the provenance. Herein, we comprehensively investigate
the negative fading of iron oxide anodes with a highly ordered mesoporous
structure by utilizing advanced synchrotron-based analysis. Electrochemical
and structural analyses identified that the negative fading originates
from an optimization of the electrolyte-derived surface layer, and
the thus formed layer significantly contributes to the structural
stability of the nanostructured electrode materials, as well as their
cycle stability. This work provides an insight into understanding
the origin of negative fading and its influence on nanostructured
anode materials.