Phase-separation-driven formation of Nickel–Cobalt oxide nanotubes as high-capacity anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

ABSTRACT Nickel–Cobalt oxide nanotubes are prepared by a simple electrospinning technique based on a phase-separation mechanism. Extra tetraethyl orthosilicate (Si(OC2H5)4) is introduced and removed by design to obtain nanotube structure. The prepared nanotubes deliver remarkable electrochemical performance as the lithium-ion batteries anode materials. It possesses a capacity of 924？mAh/g after 95 cycles at 100？mA/g. At 2000？mA/g, it has a high capacity of 770？mAh/g, and still has 255？mAh/g at 1000？mA/g after 500 cycles. The outstanding electrochemical performance is attributed to the unique hierarchical tubular nanostructures design. This simple method opens new opportunities for fabricating practical nanostructured anode materials. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT IMPACT STATEMENT This paper gives a simple phase separation method to fabricate polycrystalline nanotube structures and the nanotubes are suitable as lithium battery anode materials with remarkably enhanced lithium storage