Single-spinneret electrospinning fabrication of CoFe2O4 nanotubes as high-performance anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

• Electrospun CoFe2O4 nanotubes are successfully prepared for the first time.
• The nanotubes are prepared by the single-spinneret electrospinning and annealing.
• The hollow nanostructure is advantageous for improving electrochemical performance.
• The CoFe2O4 nanotubes show high capacity and long cycling stability.

Novel CoFe2O4 nanotubes (CFNs) are successfully prepared by the electrospinning technique and subsequent annealing process. When evaluated as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the CFNs exhibited good electrochemical performance with high specific capacity of 1228 mA h g−1, long cycling stability over 160 cycles, and good rate capability (214.7 mA h g−1 at 2 A g−1). The improved electrochemical performance can be attributed to the hollow and continuous one dimensional (1D) nanostructure.