Designed Synthesis of CoO/CuO/rGO Ternary Nanocomposites as High-Performance Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Transition-metal oxides are highly sought as alternative anode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their high theoretical capacity. However, the large volume variation of active materials during cycling leads to poor cycle life, which hinders commercial applications. In this work, we prepared cobalt oxide/copper oxide/reduced graphene oxide (CoO/CuO/rGO) ternary nanocomposites through a facile and cost-effective synthesis method. The products were endowed with a nanoscale distribution of CoO and CuO nanoparticles on the surface of rGO nanosheets. As anode materials for LIBs, the CoO/CuO/rGO nanocomposites delivered an initial discharge capacity of 1732.4 mAh g−1 and a stabilized capacity of 1364.6 mAh g−1 at a current density of 200 mA g−1 after 100 cycles. With increased current density to 1000 mA g−1 and 2000 mA g−1, the nanocomposites retained highly reversible capacities of 602.7 mAh g−1 and 423.5 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles, respectively. These features revealed the potential applications of the CoO/CuO/rGO nanocomposites in anodes of LIBs.