Self-assembled NiCo ₂ O ₄ -anchored reduced graphene oxide nanoplates as high performance anode materials for lithium ion batteries

The NiCo ₂ O ₄ -anchored reduced graphene oxide (NiCo ₂ O ₄ @rGO) nanoplates have been synthesized by a facile self-assembly process. The morphology, crystalline structure and electrochemical performance of the materials have been investigated comprehensively. The results of SEM manifest that NiCo ₂ O ₄ particles have been densely anchored on the surface of rGO with a mesoporous structure, and the morphology is tunable via altering concentration of urea during the preparation process. Due to the high ratio of NiCo ₂ O ₄ in the composite and the plate structure, the electrochemical performance of as-prepared material has been greatly improved. When evaluated as anode materials in lithium ion batteries (LIBs), the as-prepared NiCo ₂ O ₄ @rGO nanocomposite delivers a reversible capacity of 994 mAh g ⁻¹ at a current density of 200 mA g ⁻¹ with outstanding rate capability, revealing that it could be a promising anode for LIBs.