Carbon nanocages@ultrathin carbon nanosheets: One-step facile synthesis and application as anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) call for brand new and advanced materials to alleviate the pressure on depletion of fossil fuels. Carbon materials with controlled structures are considered to be potential anode materials of LIBs due to their desirable advantages. Herein, a novel three dimensional (3D) structure of carbon nanocages supported by ultrathin carbon nanosheets (CNCs@CNSs) has been synthesized through a facile one-step route by graphitizing common surfactant. The ultrathin carbon nanosheets possess a thickness of 1.6 nm with hollow carbon nanocages dispersing on them to prevent the stacking. As the first combination of carbon nanocages with two dimensional (2D) carbon nanosheets, the 3D hybrids show excellent LIB performances and exhibit a reversible capacity of 650 mAh g −1 at 0.5 C with rare capacity loss. Fast charging in 10 min with a high capacity of 580 mAh g −1 at 10 C after 500 cycles has also been exploited, which presents broad prospects for the advancement of LIBs.