Kinetically controlled catalytic synthesis of highly dispersed metal-in-carbon composite and its electrochemical behavior

Abstract

We report here a facile and generic synthesis method involving low-temperature, kinetically controlled catalysis followed by in situ carbothermal reduction to fabricate highly dispersed metal-in-carbon composites. The method achieves the homogeneous dispersion of metal particles with retention of the crystal structure of the carbon matrix. As a proof of concept, we fabricated tin-in-graphite composites in which the tin particles (200–500 nm) are highly dispersed within the compliant and conductive matrix of graphite, without destroying the crystal structure of the graphite. Electrochemical performance measurements indicate that the composite with Sn content of ∼15 wt% has a reversible capacity of ∼450 mAh g⁻¹ with stable cyclability, a superior initial Coulombic efficiency, and a flat voltage profile, when evaluated as anode material for lithium ion batteries.