title: Hierarchical Co@C Nanoflowers: Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties as an Advanced Negative Material for Alkaline Secondary Batteries.
abstract: Hierarchical Co@C nanoflowers have been facilely synthesized via a simple route based on a low-temperature solid-phase reaction. The obtained hierarchical Co@C nanoflowers, each constructed of a number of nanosheets, display a three-dimensional architecture with an average grain size of about 300 nm. The electrochemical properties of the Co@C nanoflowers as the negative material for Ni/Co cells have been systemically researched. In particular, Co@C material exhibits high discharge-specific capacity and good cycling stability. The discharge-specific capacity of our Co@C-3 electrode can reach 612.1 mA h g(-1), and the specific capacity of 415.3 mA h g(-1) is retained at a current density of 500 mA g(-1) after 120 cycles, indicating its great potential for high-performance Ni/Co batteries. Interestingly, the as-synthesized Co@C electrode also exhibits favorable rate capability. These desirable properties can be attributed to porous pathways, which allow fast transportation of ions and electrons and easy accessibility to the electrolyte. The dominant electrochemical mechanism of Co@C can be attributed to the reduction-oxidation reaction between metallic cobalt and cobalt hydroxide in alkaline solution.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Inorganic Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan , Jinan 250022, China.|Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), College of Chemistry, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Micro-/Nano-Optoelectronic Devices of the Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University , Changsha 410082, China.|Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong , Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Jianmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Inorganic Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan , Jinan 250022, China.
authors.forename: Zichao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Inorganic Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan , Jinan 250022, China.
authors.forename: Bingqiang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), College of Chemistry, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Yijing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), College of Chemistry, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Lifang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), College of Chemistry, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Huatang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yuan
keywords: Co@C; alkaline secondary battery; electrochemical properties; low-temperature solid-phase reaction; nanoflowers