Self-assembly cobalt hydrotalcite-like compounds were synthesized by refluxing. Refluxing temperature plays the important role in particles morphology. Co3O4 powders successfully maintained the architecture of the precursor after pyrolysis. At 800 mA g− 1, Co3O4 releases 756 mAh g− 1 and remains 582 mAh g− 1 at the 100th cycle.