One-Nanometer-Precision Control of Al2O3 Nanoshells through a Solution-Based Synthesis Route

Forming uniform metal oxide nanocoatings is a well-known challenge in the construction of core-shell type nano-materials. Herein, by using buffer solution as a specific reaction medium, we demonstrate the possibility to grow thin nano-shells of metal oxides, typically Al2O3, on different kinds of core materials, forming a uniform surface-coating layer with thicknesses achieving one nanometer precision. The application of this methodology for the surface modification of LiCoO2 shows that a thin nanoshell of Al2O3 can be readily tuned on the surface for an optimized battery performance.