A facile synthesis and lithium storage properties of Co3O4-C hybrid core-shell and hollow spheres

We report a facile route to synthesize Co3O4-C hybrid core-shell and hollow spheres with porous structures. Based on the results of the numerous characterization methods used, the ligand exchange etching mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of these two structures. Evaluated as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), both core-shell and hollow submicrospheres manifest excellent cycling performance. This feature may be attributed to the uniform distribution of amorphous carbon and structural characteristics of these submicrospheres. Moreover, the superior reversible capacity of the core-shell spheres is 825 mA h g(-1) over 40 cycles (the theoretical capacity value: similar to 890 mA h g(-1)), resulting from a higher void-space-utilizing rate and the right accommodation of the volume change during the charge process. Despite various reported methods, this novel strategy may provide new thoughts to prepare other hollow structured materials.