To enhance the electrochemical performance of nickel oxide as anode materials for lithium ion batteries, NiO/carbon aerogel microspheres with a plum-pudding structure were designed and prepared by a sol-gel technique followed by two calcination processes under different atmospheres. Carbon aerogel microspheres (pudding) can act as a buffering and conductive matrix to enhance the structural stability and conductivity of the embedded NiO particles (plums), which are quite advantageous to the cycling performance and rate capability. Consequently, NiO/carbon aerogel microspheres with a plum-pudding structure deliver an initial charge capacity of 808 mAh g-1 and a reversible capacity retention of 85% after 100 cycles. The enhancement in electrochemical performance relative to pure NiO microspheres suggests that the design of a plum-pudding structure is quite effective.
Keywords: carbon aerogel; lithium-ion battery; microsphere; nickel oxide.