Enhanced lithium storage in Fe2O3–SnO2–C nanocomposite anode with a breathable structure

Abstract

A novel nanocomposite architecture of a Fe₂O₃–SnO₂–C anode, based on clusters of Fe₂O₃ and SnO₂ nanoparticles dispersed along the conductive chains of Super P Li™ carbon black (Timcal Ltd.), is presented as a breathable structure in this paper for lithium-ion batteries. The synthesis of the nanocomposite is achieved by combining a molten salt precipitation process and a ball milling method for the first time. The crystalline structure, morphology, and electrochemical characterization of the synthesised product are investigated systematically. Electrochemical results demonstrate that the reversible capacity of the composite anode is 1110 mA h g⁻¹ at a current rate of 158 mA g⁻¹ with only 31% of initial irreversible capacity in the first cycle. A high reversible capacity of 502 mA h g⁻¹ (higher than the theoretical capacity of graphite, ∼372 mA h g⁻¹) can be obtained at a high current rate of 3950 mA g⁻¹. The electrochemical performance is compared favourably with those of Fe₂O₃–SnO₂ and Fe₂O₃–SnO₂–C composite anodes for lithium-ion batteries reported in the literature. This work reports a promising method for the design and preparation of nanocomposite electrodes for lithium-ion batteries.