MOF seeding strategy for the fabrication of multi-metal oxide anode with enhanced cycling stabilization

Conventional transition metal oxides (TMOs) are the most promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries due to their high specific capacity and safety. Unfortunately, the volume change of TMOs during charge and discharge can lead to poor structural stability and rapid capacity decay, thus limiting their further applications. In this study, ZnO/Co3O4/C with a three-dimensional porous core–shell structure was prepared via metal–organic framework (MOF) seeding. The specific structure of ZnO/Co3O4/C can buffer the volume change to a large extent, reduce the reconfiguration effect of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film, and effectively improve the cycling stability. The shell material can also prevent the surface of the active material from direct contact with the electrolyte, preventing chemical decomposition of the electrolyte and further improving the structural stiffness of the material. As an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, the composite material has a reversible capacity of 820 mAh g−1, and the capacity decay rate is maintained at about 10%. When the current density is 800 mA g−1, the capacity decay rate remains at about 25%. This simple synthesis provides an avenue for the further application of transition metal oxides as anodes for lithium-ion batteries.