Facile synthesis of chain-like LiCoO2 nanowire arrays as three-dimensional cathode for microbatteries

Three-dimensional microbatteries have emerged as a new direction for powering microelectronic devices, where the three-dimensional nanostructured electrode is the key component for microbatteries to achieve high power density and high energy density in a small footprint. In this work, we present a novel approach for fabrication of LiCoO2 nanowire arrays as three-dimensional cathode for microbatteries. Mesoporous low-temperature LiCoO2 nanowire arrays can be directly prepared by a two-step hydrothermal method and they can be easily converted into chain-like high-temperature LiCoO2 nanowire arrays through further calcination. The layered LiCoO2 nanowire arrays exhibit both high gravimetric capacity and areal capacity, while maintaining good cycling stability and rate capability. The facile synthesis and superior electrochemical performance of the three-dimensional LiCoO2 cathode make it promising for application in microbatteries.