Small Co3O4/waste pinecone–derived activated porous carbon as anode materials of lithium-ion batteries

Herein, a new activated porous carbon (APC) was proposed by carbonizing waste biomass of pinecone which could be obtained in large quantities and subsequently activation of zinc chloride. Then small Co3O4 nanoparticles were loaded on the surface and holes of APC to prepare the final Co3O4/APC nanocomposites. The as-prepared APC had a lotus root-like and layered porous structure with a large number of mesopores and micropores. The APC reduced the agglomeration of small Co3O4 particles which were uniformly anchored on the surface of APC. When applied for the anode of lithium-ion batteries, the Co3O4/APC nanocomposites had a reversible capacity of 625 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at the current density of 500 mA g−1. The Co3O4/APC nanocomposites also had a good rate performance. Above all, this work could transform waste biomass into sustainable resource, and the raw materials were easy to obtain in large quantities.