Ligand-Assisted Rational Crystallization of CuO Nanocrystals and Their Electrochemical Performances

Design of chemical reaction by controlling the basic chemicals, Cu2+ and OH-, represents a rational approach for the crystallization of CuO. This work designed ligand-assisted crystallization of CuO with different morphologies and investigated their electrochemical performances. The morphology-controlled crystallization of CuO is achieved by the introduction of complexation reactions with ligand molecules, which counterbalance the precipitate reactions of the formation of CuO. The competition between complexation and precipitate reactions modulates the supersaturation and growth rate of CuO nanocrystals, which finally controls the crystallization morphologies of CuO. The electrochemical performance as anode material for Li-ion batteries was evaluated by charge-discharge measurements.