Metal–organic framework derived porous nanostructured Co3O4 as high-performance anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are ideal self-sacrificial precursors for building materials with porous structures and high electrochemical performance because materials prepared with metal MOFs as precursors have the advantages of high porosity, diverse structures, and large surface area. In this work, porous nanostructured Co3O4 particles were prepared by using cobalt-based MOFs as a precursor, which exhibited superior electrochemical properties as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The reversible capacity reaches 924.1 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1 after 100 cycles, and the reversible capacity after 300 cycles is still as high as 838.6 mAh g−1 at 1000 mA g−1. Such superior electrochemical properties are mainly owe to the porous structure of Co3O4 particles. The porous structure is beneficial for the electrolyte to penetrate into the electrode material and shortens the transmission path of electrons and lithium ions, further improving the diffusion rate and the cycling performance. In addition, the porous structure can alleviate large volume changes of the material during lithiation and delithiation to improve the cycling stability.