Asanodematerialsforlithium-ionbatteries,SiO_2isofgreatinterestbecauseofitshighcapacity,lowcostandenvironmentalaffinity.AfacileapproachhasbeendevelopedtofabricateSiO_2@Chollowspheresbyhydrolysisoftetraethylorthosilicate(TEOS)toformSiO_2shellsonorganicspheretemplatesfollowedbycalcinationsinairtoremovethetemplates,andthentheSiO_2shellsarecoveredbycarbonlayers.ElectronmicroscopyinvestigationsconfirmhollowstructureoftheSiO_2@C.TheSiO_2@ChollowsphereswithdifferentSiO_2contentsdisplaygradualincreaseinspecificcapacitywithdischarge/chargecycling,amongwhichtheSiO_2@CwithSiO_2contentof67wt%exhibitsdischarge/chargecapacitiesof653.4/649.6mAhg~(-1)over160cyclesatcurrentdensityof0.11mAcm~(-2).TheimpedancefittingoftheelectrochemicalimpedancespectroscopyshowsthattheSiO_2@CwithSiO_2contentof67wt%hasthelowestchargetransferresistance,whichindicatesthattheSiO_2@Chollowspheresispromisinganodecandidateforlithium-ionbatteries.
