Graphene-based Pt/SnO2 nanocomposite with superior electrochemical performance for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Abstract Many metal oxides (e.g., SnO 2 ) are deemed as promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacities. However, the low electronic conductivity and large volume change of SnO 2 during cycling hinder its practical application. In this work, graphene-based Pt/SnO 2 composite is prepared by a modified electroless plating method and exhibits superior electrochemical performance compared to graphene-based SnO 2 and Pt/SnO 2 composites. The reversible capacity of graphene-based Pt/SnO 2 is maintained at ∼950 mA h g −1 at 0.1 C after 100 cycles and remains at ∼470 mA h g −1 when the current density increases to 2 C. The graphene substrate can enhance the electronic conductivity of the composite and effectively buffer the strain from the volume variation of SnO 2 during cycling. Moreover, the presence of Pt nanoparticles can separate SnO 2 nanoparticles on the graphene and further facilitate electron transport in the composite, leading to the outstanding electrochemical performance of graphene-based Pt/SnO 2 . This kind of novel graphene-based metal/metal oxide composites may be potentially used as high-performance electrode materials for batteries and supercapacitors.