Graphene oxide assisted template-free synthesis of nanoscale splode-like NiCo2O4 hollow microsphere with superior lithium storage properties

Haibo Rong; Zhongqing Jiang; Xiaoning Tian; Yanmin Qin; Si Cheng; Fu Wang; Zhong-Jie Jiang

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2017.09.114

Graphene oxide assisted template-free synthesis of nanoscale splode-like NiCo₂O₄ hollow microsphere with superior lithium storage properties

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2018 Feb 1:511:119-127. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2017.09.114. Epub 2017 Sep 30.

Authors

Haibo Rong¹, Zhongqing Jiang², Xiaoning Tian², Yanmin Qin¹, Si Cheng¹, Fu Wang³, Zhong-Jie Jiang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Surface Chemistry of Energy Materials, New Energy Research Institute, College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China.
² School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo 315211, Zhejiang, China.
³ Laboratory of Environmental Sciences and Technology, Xingjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830011, China.
⁴ Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Surface Chemistry of Energy Materials, New Energy Research Institute, College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: zhongjiejiang1978@hotmail.com.

PMID: 29017097
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2017.09.114

Abstract

A facile template-free Ostwald ripening method is developed for the preparation of the reduced graphene oxide supported splode-like NiCo₂O₄ hollow microsphere (SNHM/rGO). The graphene oxide used in the reaction mixture is found to play a crucial role in the formation of the SNHM/rGO. It promotes the formation of the NiCo-glycerol microspheres suitable for the Ostwald ripening to form the reduced graphene oxide supported hollow NiCo-glycerol microspheres, which is important for the subsequent calcination to form the SNHM/rGO. The obtained SNHM/rGO shows a great promise as the anode for lithium-ion batteries and can deliver a stable reversible capacity of 1048.1 mA h g^-1 at the current density of 100 mA g^-1. The performance of the SNHM/rGO is much higher than that of most NiCo₂O₄-based materials reported previously, strongly suggesting that the SNHM/rGO could be used as the anode for practical applications. This is well supported by the higher performance of the LiCoO₂//SNHM-rGO full cell. The excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to the specific structure of the SNHM/rGO, which comprises the splode-like hollow NiCo₂O₄ microspheres with the reduced graphene oxide integrated.

Keywords: Hollow structure; Improved performance; Lithium ion battery; Nickel cobaltite; Ostwald ripening.