Accurate hierarchical control of hollow crossed NiCo2O4 nanocubes for superior lithium storage.

An effective approach of simultaneously coordinating etching and precipitation reactions is employed to prepare hollow crossed NiCo2O4 nanocubes as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Firstly, amorphous hollow (NiCox)O(OH) nanoboxes form uniformly, and subsequent calcination results in the formation of NiCo2O4 nanocubes that exhibit a stable reversible capacity of 1160 mA h g(-1) at constant current density of 200 mA g(-1) with capacity retention of over 91.1% after 200 cycles. The unique hollow structure can shorten the Li-ion diffusion path, which benefits the rate of performance. Furthermore, the hollow structure offers a sufficient void space to alleviate the mechanical stress caused by volume change. Additionally, the multi-element characteristics of active materials allow the volume change to take place in a stepwise manner. Therefore, hollow crossed NiCo2O4 nanocube electrodes exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. This method is simple and of low cost, which may open a new avenue for fast synthesis of hollow crossed structural nano-functional materials for energy storage, catalysts, sensors and other new applications.