Intermetallic SnSb nanodots embedded in carbon nanotubes reinforced nanofabric electrodes with high reversibility and rate capability for flexible Li-ion batteries.

Tin (Sn) based anode materials have been regarded as promising alternatives for graphite in lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high theoretical specific capacity and conductivity. However, their practical application is severely restrained by the drastic volume variation during cycling processes. Here we report the preparation of intermetallic SnSb nanodots embedded in carbon nanotube reinforced N-doped carbon nanofibers (SnSb-CNTs@NCNFs) as a free-standing and flexible anode for LIBs. In this unique structure, the SnSb nanodots are well protected by the NCNFs and exhibit greatly reduced volume change. The mechanical strength and conductivity of the nanofabric electrode are further improved by the embedded CNTs. Benefiting from these advantages, the SnSb-CNTs@NCNFs anode delivers a high reversible capacity of 815 mA h g-1 at 100 mA g-1, a high rate capability (370 mA h g-1 at 5000 mA g-1) and a long cycle life (451 mA h g-1 after 1000 cycles at 2000 mA g-1). When assembled into flexible pouch cells, the full cells based on SnSb-CNTs@NCNFs anodes also exhibit high flexibility and good lithium storage performances.

[1]  L. Ju,et al.  Self‐Supported Tin Sulfide Porous Films for Flexible Aluminum‐Ion Batteries , 2018, Advanced Energy Materials.

[2]  Bingbing Chen,et al.  Reviving lithium cobalt oxide-based lithium secondary batteries-toward a higher energy density. , 2018, Chemical Society reviews.

[3]  L. Mai,et al.  Bottom‐Up Confined Synthesis of Nanorod‐in‐Nanotube Structured Sb@N‐C for Durable Lithium and Sodium Storage , 2018 .

[4]  M. Winter,et al.  Performance and cost of materials for lithium-based rechargeable automotive batteries , 2018 .

[5]  Yilun Li,et al.  NiS2/FeS Holey Film as Freestanding Electrode for High‐Performance Lithium Battery , 2017 .

[6]  J. Choi,et al.  Highly elastic binders integrating polyrotaxanes for silicon microparticle anodes in lithium ion batteries , 2017, Science.

[7]  Huigang Zhang,et al.  Porous-Nickel-Scaffolded Tin-Antimony Anodes with Enhanced Electrochemical Properties for Li/Na-Ion Batteries. , 2017, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[8]  Chunsheng Wang,et al.  Pipe-Wire TiO2-Sn@Carbon Nanofibers Paper Anodes for Lithium and Sodium Ion Batteries. , 2017, Nano letters.

[9]  Yan Yu,et al.  New Nanoconfined Galvanic Replacement Synthesis of Hollow Sb@C Yolk-Shell Spheres Constituting a Stable Anode for High-Rate Li/Na-Ion Batteries. , 2017, Nano letters.

[10]  Hongwei Zhang,et al.  Tailored Yolk–Shell Sn@C Nanoboxes for High‐Performance Lithium Storage , 2017 .

[11]  Ya‐Xia Yin,et al.  Watermelon‐Inspired Si/C Microspheres with Hierarchical Buffer Structures for Densely Compacted Lithium‐Ion Battery Anodes , 2017 .

[12]  Y. Qiu,et al.  The effect of deep cryogenic treatment on SnSb/C nanofibers anodes for Li-ion battery , 2016 .

[13]  Jian Yang,et al.  Double‐Walled Sb@TiO2−x Nanotubes as a Superior High‐Rate and Ultralong‐Lifespan Anode Material for Na‐Ion and Li‐Ion Batteries , 2016, Advanced materials.

[14]  Doron Aurbach,et al.  Promise and reality of post-lithium-ion batteries with high energy densities , 2016 .

[15]  Lin Gu,et al.  Amorphous Red Phosphorus Embedded in Highly Ordered Mesoporous Carbon with Superior Lithium and Sodium Storage Capacity. , 2016, Nano letters.

[16]  Zhian Zhang,et al.  Bismuth Nanoparticles Embedded in Carbon Spheres as Anode Materials for Sodium/Lithium-Ion Batteries. , 2016, Chemistry.

[17]  Bingan Lu,et al.  Core–Shell Ge@Graphene@TiO2 Nanofibers as a High‐Capacity and Cycle‐Stable Anode for Lithium and Sodium Ion Battery , 2016 .

[18]  Yi Cui,et al.  The path towards sustainable energy. , 2016, Nature materials.

[19]  F. Nobili,et al.  Enhanced stability of SnSb/graphene anode through alternative binder and electrolyte additive for lithium ion batteries application , 2015 .

[20]  P. Ajayan,et al.  Design Considerations for Unconventional Electrochemical Energy Storage Architectures , 2015 .

[21]  Taihong Wang,et al.  Encapsulating Sn(x)Sb Nanoparticles in Multichannel Graphene-Carbon Fibers As Flexible Anodes to Store Lithium Ions with High Capacities. , 2015, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[22]  A. Manthiram,et al.  SnSb?TiC?C nanocomposite alloy anodes for lithium-ion batteries , 2015 .

[23]  A. J. Bhattacharyya,et al.  Electrospun SnSb Crystalline Nanoparticles inside Porous Carbon Fibers as a High Stability and Rate Capability Anode for Rechargeable Batteries. , 2015, ChemPlusChem.

[24]  Lifang Jiao,et al.  Ultra‐High Capacity Lithium‐Ion Batteries with Hierarchical CoO Nanowire Clusters as Binder Free Electrodes , 2015 .

[25]  X. Xia,et al.  Carbon-coated SnSb nanoparticles dispersed in reticular structured nanofibers for lithium-ion battery anodes , 2015 .

[26]  Andreas Jossen,et al.  Lithium plating in lithium-ion batteries at sub-ambient temperatures investigated by in situ neutron diffraction , 2014 .

[27]  Yitai Qian,et al.  Comparison between SnSb–C and Sn–C composites as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries , 2014 .

[28]  Lin Xu,et al.  Nanowire electrodes for electrochemical energy storage devices. , 2014, Chemical reviews.

[29]  Zhe Yuan,et al.  Hierarchical Free‐Standing Carbon‐Nanotube Paper Electrodes with Ultrahigh Sulfur‐Loading for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries , 2014 .

[30]  Guangyuan Zheng,et al.  Formation of stable phosphorus-carbon bond for enhanced performance in black phosphorus nanoparticle-graphite composite battery anodes. , 2014, Nano letters.

[31]  B. Liaw,et al.  A review of lithium deposition in lithium-ion and lithium metal secondary batteries , 2014 .

[32]  C. Shi,et al.  Graphene networks anchored with sn@graphene as lithium ion battery anode. , 2014, ACS nano.

[33]  Cheol‐Min Park,et al.  Nanostructured SnSb/MOx (M = Al or Mg)/C composites: hybrid mechanochemical synthesis and excellent Li storage performances , 2013 .

[34]  Gabriel M. Veith,et al.  Intrinsic thermodynamic and kinetic properties of Sb electrodes for Li-ion and Na-ion batteries: experiment and theory , 2013 .

[35]  Bruce Dunn,et al.  High-rate electrochemical energy storage through Li+ intercalation pseudocapacitance. , 2013, Nature materials.

[36]  Yuhai Hu,et al.  Novel approach toward a binder-free and current collector-free anode configuration: highly flexible nanoporous carbon nanotube electrodes with strong mechanical strength harvesting improved lithium storage , 2012 .

[37]  H. Hng,et al.  Cooperative enhancement of capacities in nanostructured SnSb/carbon nanotube network nanocomposite as anode for lithium ion batteries , 2012 .

[38]  B. Dunn,et al.  Electrical Energy Storage for the Grid: A Battery of Choices , 2011, Science.

[39]  Yong Wang,et al.  Sn@CNT nanostructures rooted in graphene with high and fast Li-storage capacities. , 2011, ACS nano.

[40]  Yi Cui,et al.  Light-weight free-standing carbon nanotube-silicon films for anodes of lithium ion batteries. , 2010, ACS nano.

[41]  Cheol‐Min Park,et al.  A mechano- and electrochemically controlled SnSb/C nanocomposite for rechargeable Li-ion batteries , 2009 .

[42]  Y. Chiang,et al.  Virus-Enabled Synthesis and Assembly of Nanowires for Lithium Ion Battery Electrodes , 2006, Science.