Rapid and large-scale synthesis of bare Co3O4 porous nanostructures from an oleate precursor as superior Li-ion anodes with long-cycle lives.

In this study, we describe a rapid and environmentally friendly synthesis of bare Co3O4 nanocrystals derived from Co(ii) oleate complexes by calcination treatment. When directly used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the as-prepared nanocrystals could deliver a high reversible capacity of 980 mA h g(-1) after 250 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g(-1) and excellent cycling performance, which may be beneficial to promote the further development of the next generation of lithium ion batteries. The synthetic route can offer great advantages for the flash preparation of other metal oxide nanocrystals for energy storage application.