Hierarchical Co3O4@C hollow microspheres with high capacity as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Three-dimensional hierarchical Co3O4@C hollow microspheres (Co3O4@C HSs) are successfully fabricated by a facile and scalable method. The Co3O4@C HSs are composed of numerous Co3O4 nanoparticles uniformly coated by a thin layer of carbon. Due to its stable 3D hierarchical hollow structure and uniform carbon coating, the Co3O4@C HSs exhibit excellent electrochemical performance as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The Co3O4@C HSs electrode delivers a high reversible specific capacity, excellent cycling stability (1672mAhg(-1) after 100cycles at 0.2Ag(-1) and 842.7mAhg(-1) after 600cycles at 1Ag(-1)), and prominent rate performance (580.9mAhg(-1) at 5Ag(-1)). The excellent electrochemical performance makes this 3D hierarchical Co3O4@C HS a potential candidate for the anode materials of the next-generation LIBs. In addition, this simple synthetic strategy should also be applicable for synthesizing other 3D hierarchical metal oxide/C composites for energy storage and conversion.