title: Facile synthesis of urchin-like NiCo2O4 hollow microspheres with enhanced electrochemical properties in energy and environmentally related applications.
abstract: A facile synthesis of novel urchin-like NiCo2O4 hierarchical hollow microspheres has been developed based on a template-free solvothermal and subsequent calcination method. The growth process of NiCo2O4 hollow microsphere precursors has been investigated, and a plausible mechanism was proposed. Because of their unique structure and high specific surface area, these NiCo2O4 hollow microspheres displayed enhanced electrochemical properties in methanol electrooxidation and determination of heavy-metal ions compared with solid urchin-like NiCo2O4 microspheres, Co3O4, and NiO microspheres. The good electrochemical performances suggested that these unique hierarchical NiCo2O4 hollow microspheres could be promising materials for energy and environmentally related applications.
authors.affiliation: Nanomaterials and Environmental Detection Laboratory, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei 230031, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin-Yao
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xian-Zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Jin-Huai
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xing-Jiu
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Huang