Facile synthesis of flowerlike CuO by double-hydroxides treatment and their electrochemical properties

We report a new method to prepare flowerlike CuO architectures based on double-hydroxides treatment using cupric nitrate as raw materials at 200 °C and atmospheric pressure. The CuO products look like blooms composed of many thin petals which have acuate tips and wide bases with a width of 300–600 nm and a length of 1–2 μm. The petal surfaces are coarse with many particulates and grooves. The hierarchical CuO flowers exhibit admirable sensitivity in detecting nonenzymatic glucose. An initial discharge capacity of 926.3 mA h g−1 is delivered for the flowerlike CuO, fading to 494.8 mA h g−1 in the second cycle due to irreversible reductive reactions. A Coulombic efficiency of ∼98% is retained in the subsequent cycles.

► Flowerlike CuO architectures were prepared by double-hydroxides treatment method.
► Special microstructures lead to good electrochemical properties.
► The CuO flowers exhibit admirable sensitivity in detecting nonenzymatic glucose.
► Enhanced lithium-storage performance was achieved.