Porous Co3O4 Nanoflakes as Anode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries

A simple approach to mass produce Co3O4 using urea (CON2H4) as a precipitate via hydrothermal treatment has been developed. The samples were calcined at different temperatures and tested as an anode material for lithium ion battery. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the Co3O4 prepared at 600 degrees C showed a porous nanoflake morphology. The material is flaky with nanopores on the surface planes, forming a two-dimensional network structure. The electrochemical measurements showed that the porous Co3O4 nanoflakes had good electrochemical performance with a capacity of 824 mAh g(-1) after the 50th cycle at a current density of 100 mA g(-1). The excellent electrochemical properties could be attributed to its unique two-dimensional network structure.