Synthesis of Urchin-like Nickel Sulfide Hollow Spheres and Their Electrochemical Performance

Urchin-like nickel sulfide hollow spheres composed of nanorods were synthesized via a solvthermal method using thioacetamide as sulfur source and ethylene glycol as solvent under ethylenediamine assistant. The result of MID indicated that there were two kinds of phase structure including alpha and beta in the NiS products and the major product was beta-NiS. The formation process of urchin-like nickel sulfide hollow spheres was investigated by monitoring the morphology variation of the product with reaction time. The results showed that urchin-like solid microspheres were formed firstly, then hollow structure were obtained via further "Ostwald ripening" process. Charge-discharge and cyclic performance of the products were determined as an cathode of lithium-ion batteries. The first discharge-charge capacity was 900 mA . h/g, and 200 mA . h/g was still remained after 50 cycles.