Sacrificial template formation of CoMoO hollow nanostructures constructed by ultrathin nanosheets for robust lithium storage

• Published in: RSC advances Vol. 6; no. 57; pp. 5171 - 51715
• Main Authors: Wang, Yansen, Sun, Yanfang, Zhang, Xiao, Wen, Yong-hong, Guo, Jinxue
• Format: Journal Article
• Published: 26.05.2016
• ISSN: 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/c6ra08534b

Hierarchical hollow structures composed of two-dimensional nanostructures are desirable and challenging research subjects in the synthesis and application of nanomaterials. In the present work, CoMoO 4 hollow nanostructures assembled by nanosheet subunits were successfully prepared via a facile solvothermal method using SiO 2 nanospheres as the sacrificial template. In the synthesis process, the formation and assembly of CoMoO 4 nanosheets, as well as the template removal, were carried out simultaneously, thus avoiding the cumbersome multi-step process of the traditional template method. The obtained nanosheets-constructed hollow nanostructures possess combined structural advantages for robust electrochemical properties as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, such as a porous and robust framework, high surface area for electrode/electrolyte contact, reduced lithium diffusion path, and a hollow interior to accommodate the volume variation associated with the electrochemical cycles. Hence, the CoMoO 4 electrode was able to deliver good lithium storage properties, including high specific capacity (1066 mA h g 1 at a current density of 500 mA g 1 after 200 cycles), good cyclic stability, and an especially excellent rate performance. CoMoO 4 hollow nanostructures assembled by nanosheet subunits, which can deliver kinetically stable lithium storage due to their structural advantages, were prepared via a facile solvothermal method using SiO 2 nanospheres as a sacrificial template.