Hard-template-engaged formation of CoVO hollow prisms for lithium ion batteries.

Highly uniform and monodispersed CoVO hollow nanoprisms are successfully fabricated a simple hard-template-engaged strategy. In such synthesis, Co acetate hydroxide plays the important role of not only the cobalt source, but also the sacrificial template. After coating with a carbon layer, the as-obtained CoVO hollow nanoprisms exhibit apparently enhanced lithium-ion-battery performances. It has shown a high specific capacity of around 946 mA h g at a current density of 100 mA g, excellent cycling stability up to 300 cycles at a current density of 1 A g, and superior rate performance, which is much better than carbon coated solid CoVO samples.