Carbon-coated SnO2 riveted on a reduced graphene oxide composite (C@SnO2/RGO) as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

The research on graphene-based anode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been prevalent in recent years. In the present work, carbon-coated SnO₂ riveted on a reduced graphene oxide sheet composite (C@SnO₂/RGO) was fabricated using GO solution, SnCl₄, and glucose via a hydrothermal method after heat treatment. When the composite was exploited as an anode material for LIBs, the electrodes were found to exhibit a stable reversible discharge capacity of 843 mA h g⁻¹ at 100 mA g⁻¹ after 100 cycles with 99.5% coulombic efficiency (CE), and a specific capacity of 485 mA h g⁻¹ at 1000 mA g⁻¹ after 200 cycles; these values were higher than those for a sample without glucose (SnO₂/RGO) and a pure SnO₂ sample. The favourable electrochemical performances of the C@SnO₂/RGO electrodes may be attributed to the special double-carbon structure of the composite, which can effectively suppress the volume expansion of SnO₂ nanoparticles and facilitate the transfer rates of Li⁺ and electrons during the charge/discharge process.

The combined action of GO and glucose makes the SnO₂ dispersed uniformly. The synergistic effect of the unique double-carbon structure can effectively improve the electrical conductivity of the SnO₂ and strengthen lithium storage capability.