Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Carbon-Composited Co3O4 Microspheres as Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Cobalt (II, III) oxide (Co₃O₄) has recently gained attention as an alternative anode material to commercial graphite in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its superior safety and large theoretical capacity of about 890 mAh g^-1. However, its practical application is limited by poor electrical conductivity and rapid capacity degradation because of significant volume increases and structural strain during repeated lithiation/delithiation cycles. To address these issues, this work presents a novel approach to synthesizing carbon-composited Co₃O₄ microspheres (Co₃O₄@C), using abietic acid (AA) as a carbon source to increase conductivity and structural stability. The resulting Co₃O₄@C anodes show an impressive discharge capacity of 1557.4 mAh g^-1 after 200 cycling processes at a current density of 0.1 C, representing a significant improvement over bare Co₃O₄. This study demonstrates the potential of carbon-compositing as a strategy to mitigate the limitations of Co₃O₄ and extend its cyclability, making it a viable candidate for next-generation LIB anodes.