Controlled synthesis of self-assembled metal oxide hollow spheres via tuning redox potentials: Versatile nanostructured cobalt oxides

A general method to produce self-assembled metal oxides with hollow structures is developed by controlling the net redox potentials. Nanostructured CoOOH and CeO2 hollow microspheres have been successfully prepared by this method. The synthesized CoOOH hollow spheres are versatile precursors for nanomaterials of cobalt oxide derivatives (eg. CO3O4, LiCoO2), and also possess excellent catalytic activity.