Abstract:The hydrotalcite-type cobalt compounds were prepared through oxidation of Co(OH)2 gel using NH4OH as precipitating agent and H2O2 as oxidant. These hydrotalcite-type cobalt compounds were transformed into Co3O4 through hydrothermal decomposition with nanostructural deformation. The precursor and product were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared(FT-IR) spectrum, X-ray diffractometry(XRD) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The electrochemical performances of as-prepared nanosized Co3O4 as anode materials in lithium-ion batteries were tested by charge-discharge test in the voltage range of 0−3.0 V. The influence of morphology of Co3O4 particle on the capacity and cycling performance was studied. The results show that the shape and size of the final product can be controlled by altering cobalt sources. The irregular cubic Co3O4 with the average particle size of about 10 nm shows the best electrochemical performance. After 10 charge-discharge cycles, the specific charge capacity retains 555 mA∙h/g.

Key words: hydrotalcite-type cobalt compounds; nanosized Co3O4; hydrothermal method; anode materials