Co3O4 nanowires as high capacity anode materials for lithium ion batteries

Co3O4 nanowires were synthesized from the decomposition of CoC2O4 center dot 2H(2)O nanowires which were obtained through a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-assisted solution-based precipitation process. And the formation mechanism of CoC2O4 center dot 2H(2)O nanowires was discussed. The Co3O4 nanowires had diameters in the range of 30-60 nm and lengths of several micrometers, inheriting the morphology of the CoC2O4 center dot 2H(2)O nanowires. The Co3O4 nanowires as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries exhibited a stable specific discharge/charge capacity of 611 mAh/g and 598 mAh/g after fifty cycles at a current density of 0.11 A/g, which were much higher than that of commercial Co3O4 nanoparticles. In addition, the charge capacity of the as-synthesized Co3O4 nanowires was more than two times higher than that of the commercial Co3O4 nanoparticles at a current density of 1.1 A/g. These results indicate that the as-prepared Co3O4 nanowires have potential to be a promising candidate as high capacity anode material in the next generation lithium-ion batteries. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.