NiO hollow microspheres interconnected by carbon nanotubes as an anode for lithium ion batteries, Electrochimica Acta http://dx.doi.org/10. 1016/j.electacta.2016.07.094 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. interconnecting the NiO microspheres of the composite material, of which electronic conductivity was improved, and the mesoporous hollow structure effectively alleviated the volume changes to maintain the structural stability during cycling.