Self-assembled 3D ZnSnO3 hollow cubes@reduced graphene oxide aerogels as high capacity anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

• 3D ZnSnO3 hollow cubes@reducedgrapheneoxideaerogels(ZGAs) were fabricated.
• The electrochemical properties of ZGAs were investigated for LIBs.
• ZGAs demonstrated superior lithium storage performance.

3D ZnSnO3 hollow cubes@reduced graphene oxide aerogels (ZGAs) were fabricated via a colloid electrostatic self-assembly method between the graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) modified ZnSnO3 hollow cubes colloid, followed by hydrothermal and freeze-drying treatments. The unique porous architecture of ZnSnO3 hollow cubes encapsulated by flexible reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets not only effectively retarded the huge volume expansion during repeated charge-discharge cycles, but also facilitated fast lithium ion and electron transport through 3D networks. The ZGAs exhibited significantly enhanced cycling stability (745.4 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at a current of 100 mA g−1) and superior rate capability (as high as 552.6 mAh g−1 at 1200 mA g−1). The results indicate that the ZGAs are promising anode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.