Self-assembled hollow mesoporous Co3O4 hybrid architectures: a facile synthesis and application in Li-ion batteries

Abstract

We report a facile and template-free soft chemical approach that employs a low-temperature calcination treatment to synthesize a new class of materials comprising self-arranged hollow mesoporous Co₃O₄ and Co₃O₄–carbon nanotube composites. Each hollow particle is formed by a double-layered nanowall with a thickness of around 50–100 nm. The inner wall consists of a uniform amorphous layer, while the outer layer consists of self-assembled aggregates of ultrafine nanoflakes and particles. Our synthesis method is scalable and produces high yield with high reproducibility. When applied as negative electrodes in Li-ion batteries, the Co₃O₄–carbon nanotube composite exhibited superior performance with large reversible capacity, good cycling property and rate capability benefiting from the unique hollow and mesoporous Co₃O₄ particle structures as well as the hybridization with carbon nanotubes.