A graphene inspired electrode material that could help batteries hold more power has been developed by Chinese scientists. The large surface area of these cobalt oxide nanosheets is key to their electrochemical performance.Batteries are a cornerstone of modern life with most smartphones and laptops using rechargeable lithium ion batteries. As technology advances, the search is on for batteries that can pack more energy into the same space. Graphitic electrodes are commonly used in lithium ion batteries but suffer from low theoretical capacity. A viable alternative is to use metal oxides which have significantly higher theoretical capacities but in practice are...