Anchoring ternary CoNiSn alloys nanoparticles on hollow architectured SnO2 for exceptional lithium storage performance

Abstract Tin dioxide is one of the most promising anode materials for lithium ion batteries. However, its electrochemical performance is limited by the huge volume changes during electrochemical reactions. Herein, we report a new strategy to improve the performance by anchoring ternary CoNiSn alloys nanoparticles on hollow structured SnO2. These alloy nanoparticles not only construct a conductive matrix for fast electron transfer but also offer new electrochemical active sites for lithium ion storage based on an intercalation reaction mechanism. The new material SnO2@Co0.75Ni0.75Sn0.75@C is synthesized via a wet chemical method followed by an in-situ reduction. Meanwhile, the hollow and porous structure provide free space to accommodate the volume variations and thus suppress the structural collapse. Benefiting from the intriguing structural and compositional features, this nanocomposite exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1231 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A g−1, and ultra-stable cycling performance with values of 436 (at 10 A g−1) and 195 mA h g−1 (at 20 A g−1) after 5000 cycles.