Preparation of C/SnO2 composite with rice husk-based porous carbon carrier loading ultrasmall SnO2 nanoparticles for anode in lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

C/SnO2 composite with porous carbon as the carrier is usually prepared for stable SnO2 anodes in lithium-ion batteries. However, the application of present porous carbon materials is limited with high cost and complex preparation procedures. In our article, a C/SnO2 composite anode was fabricated using a low-cost and easily obtained rice-husk based porous carbon (RHPC). The RHPC material can be easily and cheaply obtained by convenient carbonization and activation of rice husk. Subsequently, a RHPC/SnO2 composite was prepared via a simple melt-impregnation method with heat treatment route. The HRTEM image revealed that the RHPC displayed abundant meso- and micro-pore structures. The SnO2 nanoparticles can be loaded on the RHPC matrix with the average size of ca. 4 nm. The cyclic measurement showed that the fifty discharge capacity of RHPC/SnO2 anodes at the current density of 100 mA g−1 was 550 mAh g−1 (180 mAh g−1 for SnO2 anodes), It demonstrates that the cyclic performance of RHPC/SnO2 anodes is a remarkable enhancement by introducing the RHPC matrix in comparison with the SnO2 anodes. Moreover, the easy obtainment method of RHPC and the improved stability of SnO2 anodes promote the RHPC/SnO2 as a promising anode material in lithium-ion batteries.