TiN surface modified SnO2 as an efficient anode material for lithium ion batteries

Abstract

Tin dioxide (SnO₂) attracts considerable attention as an anode material due to its high theoretical capacity compared with graphite. However, the practical use of a SnO₂ anode is significantly hampered by its large volume changes during lithium insertion and extraction processes, which leads to poor cyclic performance. To overcome this problem, a simple and efficient method was employed to fabricate SnO₂-based nanocomposites with controlled titanium nitride (TiN) modification. The as-prepared samples were characterized by XRD, Raman, XPS, TEM and electrochemical measurements. Compared with the pristine SnO₂, the appropriate TiN modified SnO₂ nanocomposite electrodes exhibited improved lithium storage performance. Particularly, the hybrid anode with 2 wt% TiN delivered a high first capacity of 1580.6 mA h g⁻¹ and a stable capacity of 404 mA h g⁻¹ after 50 cycles at a charge–discharge rate of 0.1 C. The improved lithium storage performance was attributed to the inactive TiN matrix, which significantly enhanced the structural stability and electronic conductivity of the SnO₂–TiN nanocomposites.