Self-assembly of cubic Co3O4 crystals and charge and discharge performances for lithium-ion battery

In this Letter, cubic Co₃O₄ samples are synthesised by a simple hydrothermal reaction. The samples are characterised by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, X-ray powder diffractometer and nitrogen adsorption. The results show that the formed Co₃O₄ samples are not solid cubes, but cube-like assemblies of nanoparticles. The charge and discharge performances of the cubic Co₃O₄ crystals are investigated. It shows that the Co₃O₄ cubes have a high-rate capacity and an excellent cyclability, which is attributed to the high-surface area and porous structure.