Hollow MnCo2O4 Submicrospheres with Multilevel Interiors: From Mesoporous Spheres to Yolk-in-Double-Shell Structures

We present a general strategy to synthesize uniform MnCo2O4 submicrospheres with various hollow structures. By using MnCo-glycolate submicrospheres as the precursor with proper manipulation of ramping rates during the heating process, we have fabricated hollow MnCo2O4 submicrospheres with multilevel interiors, including mesoporous spheres, hollow spheres, yolk shell spheres, shell-in-shell spheres, and yolk-in-double-shell spheres. Interestingly, when tested as anode materials in lithium ion batteries, the MnCo2O4 submicrospheres with a yolk shell structure showed the best performance among these multilevel interior structures because these structures can not only supply a high contact area but also maintain a stable structure.