Ni3Si2O5(OH)4 multi-walled nanotubes with tunable magnetic properties and their application as anode materials for lithium batteries

Highly crystalline and thermally stable pure multi-walled Ni3Si2O5(OH)4 nanotubes with a layered structure have been synthesized in water at a relatively low temperature of 200–210 °C using a facile and simple method. The nickel ions between the layers could be reduced in situ to form size-tunable Ni nanocrystals, which endowed these nanotubes with tunable magnetic properties. Additionally, when used as the anode material in a lithium ion battery, the layered structure of the Ni3Si2O5(OH)4 nanotubes provided favorable transport kinetics for lithium ions and the discharge capacity reached 226.7 mA·h·g−1 after 21 cycles at a rate of 20 mA·g−1. Furthermore, after the nanotubes were calcined (600 °C, 4 h) or reduced (180 °C, 10 h), the corresponding discharge capacities increased to 277.2 mA·h·g−1 and 308.5 mA·h·g−1, respectively.