Functionalization of carbon nanotubes via Birch reduction chemistry for selective loading of CuO nanosheets

Mesoporous CuO nanosheets threaded with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized via a simple solution-phase method, where Birch reduction chemistry was introduced for the functionalization of CNTs. Selective loading of CuO nanosheets was achieved due to the in situ nucleation and growth of CuO near the functional bands. Finally, discrete CuO nanosheets distributed along the axis direction of CNTs were revealed. The obtained CuO nanosheets exhibited the features of extremely thin thickness, mesoporous structure and high surface area. More importantly, the CNTs pass through the inner part of the CuO nanosheets, which ensures enhanced conductivity for electron transportation. When used as anode materials for lithium ion batteries, these CuO/CNT hybrids exhibited much lower charge transfer resistance, in contrast to pure CuO nanosheets. The construction of the necklace-like CuO/CNT hybrids can largely enhance the kinetic performance of the CuO anodes.