Carbon-Coated SnO2/Ti3C2 Composites with Enhanced Lithium Storage Performance

Abstract

Tin-based anode materials including oxides, composites oxides, and tin-based alloys are identified as promising candidates for energy storage attributed to the highest theoretical specific capacity. We introduce Ti3C2-MXene as structural skeletons and amorphous carbon as conductive networks for tin oxide in this work. Herein, carbon-coated kernel-like SnO2 coupling with two-dimensional (2D) layered structure Ti3C2-MXene (C@SnO2/Ti3C2) composites were prepared by a hydrothermal reaction and a further calcination process. The fabricated C@SnO2/Ti3C2 nanocomposites exhibit smaller charge transfer resistance, larger Li+ diffusion coefficient, and better cycling stability than SnO2/Ti3C2 and pure Ti3C2. Most of all, C@SnO2/Ti3C2 nanocomposites display excellent initial capacity of 1531.5 mAh g−1 at current density of 100 mA g−1 and show outstanding rate performance of 540 mAh g−1even after 200 cycles. In our work, we will provide a new research idea for the composite materials of metal oxides and two-dimensional layered materials in the field of electrode materials for batteries.