Flower-like NiO/ZnO hybrid coated with N-doped carbon layer derived from metal-organic hybrid frameworks as novel anode material for high performance sodium-ion batteries.

Metal-organic hybrid frameworks are considered as the promising precursor to prepare high performance anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). In the present work, flower-like NiO/ZnO@NC with hollow and porous structure was prepared via a facile solvothermal and calcination process. The hollow and porous structure not only improve the electron transport capability, and but also inhibits the aggregation and accommodates the volume change of NiO/ZnO@NC. Meanwhile, the coated amorphous carbon layer could also increase the electron conductivity and buffer the huge volume expansion of active material NiO/ZnO. When used as anode for SIBs, NiO/ZnO@NC demonstrates a high specific capacity of 300 mAh g-1 with good cycling stability for 150 cycles, fast charge and discharge capability (154 mAh g-1 at 2500 mA g-1) and superior long cycling life at high current density for 2500 cycles. The strategy in this work should provide a new insight into fabrication novel structural anode materials for high performance SIBs.