Fabrication and Electrochemical Performance of TiO2–TiN/Sn–SnO2 Composite Films on Ti for LIB Anodes with High Capacity and Excellent Conductivity

Abstract

AbstractAccording to the requirements for anode materials of safe and high‐capacity lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), various Sn/TiO2 and SnO2/TiO2 composite materials have been developed, but no reports have yet combined them by a simple fabrication method. Herein, a novel and simple approach is reported for the fabrication of nanoporous TiO2–TiN/Sn–SnO2 composite films by successive Ti anodization and cathodic hybrid electrodeposition of Sn in a nitric acid‐based aqueous solution containing Sn2+ and/or Sn4+ ions. The conductivity of the anodic TiO2–TiN composite films facilitates the simultaneous electrodeposition of metallic Sn and electrophoretic deposition of SnO2 colloids, both on the surface and inside the nanopores of the film. Notably, the nanoporous structure is preserved, which provides a large surface area. The electrodeposition of Sn–SnO2 nanoparticles on the nanoporous TiO2–TiN film significantly improves the charge transfer and conductivity of the composite film and enhances the discharge capacity to up to 2386.1 µAh cm−2 (approximately sixfold higher than that of the bare matrix film).