<p>In this paper, three-dimensional (3D) flower-like Co₂NiO₄ was synthesized from nickel foam (NF), showing outstanding electrochemical performance. When Co₂NiO₄ was used as the anode of a lithium-ion battery (LIB), its discharge capacity was 1274.3 mAh g⁻¹ initially and still remained at 973.8 mAh g⁻¹ after 50 charge/discharge cycles. Moreover, after continuous charge/discharge cycles at high current densities, its discharge capacity recovered to 913.6 mAh g⁻¹ when the current density was restored to 0.2 A g⁻¹, demonstrating excellent rate performance of Co₂NiO₄. In addition, the excellent electrochemical performance of Co₂NiO₄ is also attributed to its unique flower-like structure, synergistic effect and good electrical conductivity.</p>