Cobalt Oxide 2D Nanosheets Formed at a Polarized Liquid|Liquid Interface toward High-Performance Li-Ion and Na-Ion Battery Anodes

Cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄)-based nanostructures have the potential as low-cost materials for lithium-ion (Li-ion) and sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery anodes with a theoretical capacity of 890 mAh/g. Here, we demonstrate a novel method for the production of Co₃O₄ nanoplatelets. This involves the growth of flower-like cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) nanostructures at a polarized liquid|liquid interface, followed by conversion to flower-like Co₃O₄ via calcination. Finally, sonication is used to break up the flower-like Co₃O₄ nanostructures into two-dimensional (2D) nanoplatelets with lateral sizes of 20-100 nm. Nanoplatelets of Co₃O₄ can be easily mixed with carbon nanotubes to create nanocomposite anodes, which can be used for Li-ion and Na-ion battery anodes without any additional binder or conductive additive. The resultant electrodes display impressive low-rate capacities (at 125 mA/g) of 1108 and 1083 mAh/g, for Li-ion and Na-ion anodes, respectively, and stable cycling ability over >200 cycles. Detailed quantitative rate analysis clearly shows that Li-ion-storing anodes charge roughly five times faster than Na-ion-storing anodes.