Direct hybridization of tin oxide/graphene nanocomposites for highly efficient lithium-ion battery anodes

A facile direct hybridization route to prepare SnO2/graphene nanocomposites for Li-ion battery anode application is demonstrated. Uniform distribution of SnO2 nanoparticles on graphene layers was enabled by a one-step chemical synthetic route. The optimal content ratio of SnO2 and graphene was determined from microscopic observations and electrochemical studies. The nanocomposite anode with SnO2 loading level of around 70 wt.% retained reversible capacity of 643.6 mAh/g after 50 cycles and high discharge capacity of 347.8 mAh/g at a current density of 3000 mA/g, which was superior to that of graphene-only electrodes or nanocomposites with overloaded SnO2 nanoparticles. Taking advantage of nano-sized SnO2 and an electrically conductive and mechanically flexible graphene layer, SnO2/graphene nanocomposites with optimized SnO2 content exhibit excellent electrochemical properties as lithium-ion battery anodes. Our strategy offers a straightforward and high-throughput pathway for creating and directing graphene-based functional hybrids through simple mixing and thermal treatments, and may be used to assemble high-performance Li-ion batteries.