Graphene-supported SnO2 nanoparticles prepared by a solvothermal approach for an enhanced electrochemical performance in lithium-ion batteries

Dawei Su,Guoxiu Wang,Jinsoo Park,Bei Wang,Hyojun Ahn

doi:10.1186/1556-276x-7-215

Abstract

SnO2 nanoparticles were dispersed on graphene nanosheets through a solvothermal approach using ethylene glycol as the solvent. The uniform distribution of SnO2 nanoparticles on graphene nanosheets has been confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The particle size of SnO2 was determined to be around 5 nm. The as-synthesized SnO2/graphene nanocomposite exhibited an enhanced electrochemical performance in lithium-ion batteries, compared with bare graphene nanosheets and bare SnO2 nanoparticles. The SnO2/graphene nanocomposite electrode delivered a reversible lithium storage capacity of 830 mAh g−1 and a stable cyclability up to 100 cycles. The excellent electrochemical properties of this graphene-supported nanocomposite could be attributed to the insertion of nanoparticles between graphene nanolayers and the optimized nanoparticles distribution on graphene nanosheets.

Highlights

Graphene has been emerged as a rising star in materials science and as an excellent candidate for many applications due to its unique two dimensional (2D) nanostructure [1], outstanding electrical properties [2], and ultrahigh specific surface area [3]
Sn2+ ions were attracted to Graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets in the ethylene glycol (EG) solution
GO nanosheets were gradually reduced by EG to form graphene nanosheets

Summary

Introduction

Graphene has been emerged as a rising star in materials science and as an excellent candidate for many applications due to its unique two dimensional (2D) nanostructure [1], outstanding electrical properties [2], and ultrahigh specific surface area [3]. To further improve the electrochemical performance and the cycle life of SnO2 electrodes for long-term cycling, one approach is to synthesize nanosized SnO2 crystals with different morphologies, such as nanowires [14], nanotubes [15], and mesoporous structure [16]. These nanostructured SnO2 materials were reported to deliver greatly enhanced specific capacities with durable cycling stabilities. Many methods have been implemented to distribute SnO2 nanocrystals on graphene nanosheets, including in situ chemical preparation [13,17], reassembling process [18], gas–liquid interfacial synthesis [19], as well as hydrothermal and solvothermal methods [20,21]

Methods

Results

Conclusion