Synthesis and electrochemical properties of artificial graphite as an anode for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Artificial graphite containing abundant in situ grown onion-like carbon hollow nanostructures (OCHNs) was prepared from nickel nanoparticles doped pitch and natural graphite flakes by hot-pressing sintering method. Galvanostatic discharge–charge tests indicate that the synthetic graphite with abundant OCHNs exhibits a high specific capacity of 460 mA h g−1 at 20 mA g−1 as well as an excellent rate capability, with a reversible capacity of 220 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1. Besides the advantages of common graphite anode materials, these superiorities make synthetic graphite a very promising anode for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.