Enhancing electrochemical performance of SnO2 anode with humic acid modification

Abstract

Humic acid (HA) was studied as a modifier in the SnO2 anode preparation for the electrochemical performance improvement. Scanning electron microscopy, 180° peel test, and nanoindentation experiment were used to examine the influence of the HA on electrode. The results showed that the addition of HA could improve the dispersion uniformity of all particles. The components were tightened, increasing the difficulty of peeling off the film from the current collector. The deformation resistance of the electrode was greatly enhanced by the HA modification. The electrochemical test results showed that the anode from the normal micron-sized SnO2 particles with the HA modifier exhibited significant progress in electrochemical performance compared with those without HA. The reversible specific capacity of the SnO2 anode can be maintained as high as 733.4 mA·h/g at a current density of 100 mA/g after 50 cycles. Therefore, HA is a promising modifier for anode preparation of lithium-ion batteries.