Facile electrodeposition of high-density CuCo₂O₄ nanosheets as a high-performance Li-ion battery anode material

High-density CuCo₂O₄ nanosheets are grown on Ni foam using electrodeposition followed by air annealing for a Li-ion battery anode. The anode exhibits a high discharge capacity of 1244 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g (82% coulombic efficiency) and excellent high-rate performance with 95% capacity retention (1100 mAh/g after 200 cycles at 1 A/g). The outstanding battery performance of the CuCo₂O₄ anode is attributed to its binder-free direct contact to the current collector and high-density nanosheet morphology. The present experimental findings demonstrate that the electrodeposited binder-free CuCo₂O₄ material may serve as a safe, low-cost, long-cycle life anode for Li-ion batteries.