Fabrication of hierarchical porous carbon microspheres using porous layered double oxide templates for high-performance lithium ion batteries

Abstract Hierarchical porous carbon microspheres (HPCMs) have been fabricated by an impregnation-carbonization method using MgAl-layered double oxides (LDOs) microspheres as templates and sucrose as carbon source. The MgAl-LDOs microspheres templates are obtained via stacking and self-assembly of MgAl-layered double hydroxides particles in high-temperature calcination. The abundant hierarchical porous structure provides not only fast transport channels for ion diffusion but also facile access for non-aqueous electrolyte. Owing to the unique spherical structure, the prepared HPCMs possess the tap density of 0.825 g mL −1 , the gravimetric capacities of 1140.5, 650.3, and 347.9 mA h g −1 and volumetric capacities of 940.9, 536.5 and 287.0 mA h cm −3 at the current densities of 0.05, 0.2, and 1 A g −1 , respectively, when used as the anode for lithium ion batteries. This work presents a new strategy to prepare carbon microspheres, and the material with high specific capacity and good rate performance exhibits good prospect in lithium ion batteries.