Porous SnO2/Co3O4 nanocubes anchored onto reduced graphene oxide as a high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries

Microstructure design and constructing heterojunctions are of great value for transition metal oxides to realize a high-performance electrode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this paper, monodisperse porous SnO2/Co3O4 nanocubes anchored onto graphene is fabricated. The SnO2 and Co3O4 phases in the composite are detected by Xray diffraction. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy are employed to gain insight into the microstructure of the nanocubes, which are composed of tightly contacted SnO2 and Co3O4 particles with a size range from 100 to 200 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that SnO2 and Co3O4 are chemically bound together. Four samples of pure SnO2, pure Co3O4, SnO2/Co3O4 nanocubes, and SnO2/Co3O4/rGO composite are compared in electrochemical properties. The excellent rate performance, cycling stability, and reversible specific capacity result from the synergistic effect of the unique microstructure and the function of the high conductive graphene framework in Li ion storage.