Self-Templated Formation of Uniform NiCo2O4 Hollow Spheres with Complex Interior Structures for Lithium-Ion Batteries and Supercapacitors

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 54; no. 6; pp. 1868 - 1872
• Main Authors: Shen, Laifa, Yu, Le, Yu, Xin-Yao, Zhang, Xiaogang, Lou, Xiong Wen (David)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 02.02.2015; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Batteries; Cobalt - chemistry; Electric Power Supplies; Electrochemical Techniques; Li-ion batteries; Lithium; Metal oxides; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; mixed metal oxides; nanoparticles; Nickel - chemistry; Oxides - chemistry; supercapacitors; X-Ray Diffraction; nanoparticles; Li-ion batteries; mixed metal oxides; supercapacitors
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201409776

Despite the significant advancement in preparing metal oxide hollow structures, most approaches rely on template‐based multistep procedures for tailoring the interior structure. In this work, we develop a new generally applicable strategy toward the synthesis of mixed‐metal‐oxide complex hollow spheres. Starting with metal glycerate solid spheres, we show that subsequent thermal annealing in air leads to the formation of complex hollow spheres of the resulting metal oxide. We demonstrate the concept by synthesizing highly uniform NiCo2O4 hollow spheres with a complex interior structure. With the small primary building nanoparticles, high structural integrity, complex interior architectures, and enlarged surface area, these unique NiCo2O4 hollow spheres exhibit superior electrochemical performances as advanced electrode materials for both lithium‐ion batteries and supercapacitors. This approach can be an efficient self‐templated strategy for the preparation of mixed‐metal‐oxide hollow spheres with complex interior structures and functionalities. Complex hollow spheres: Metal oxide hollow spheres with complex interior structures were obtained by a strategy involving the solution synthesis of metal glycerate solid spheres and subsequent thermal annealing in air. The image shows NiCo2O4 core‐in‐double‐shell hollow spheres. Their structural features give rise to an outstanding electrochemical performance as advanced electrode materials for both lithium‐ion batteries and supercapacitors.