title: Self-templated formation of uniform NiCo2O4 hollow spheres with complex interior structures for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459 (Singapore) http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home/xwlou/; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Material and Technology for Energy Conversion, College of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 210016 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Laifa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xin-Yao
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiaogang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiong Wen David
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Lou
mesh_terms: D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D008094:Lithium; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry*; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D010087:Oxides; D003035:Cobalt; D009532:Nickel; D008094:Lithium; C060728:cobalt oxide
keywords: Li-ion batteries; mixed metal oxides; nanoparticles; supercapacitors