Facile synthesis of transition-metal oxide nanocrystals embedded in hollow carbon microspheres for high-rate lithium-ion-battery anodes.

Charged up: A general soft-template route for the synthesis of uniform hollow carbon microspheres embedded with transition-metal oxide nanocrystals (OHCMs) has been developed (see figure). The obtained OHCMs possess a microsized spherical shape, embedded transition-metal oxide nanocrystals, and fully encapsulating conductive carbon shells, which endow the resulting anode materials with high specific capacities, rate capabilities, electrode densities, and cycle stabilities.