Facile synthesis of CTAB assisted hierarchical-structure TiO2@SnO2 for lithium storage

Tin oxide (SnO2) with high specific capacity and excellent safety performance has become potential candidate for next generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the practical application of SnO2 is hindered by large volume change and particle aggregation. Herein, a type of three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous titanium-based microclews composed of one-dimensional (1D) titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoribbons and SnO2 nanoparicles, is synthesized for the first time with the assistance of cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromidewere (CTAB). SnO2 nanoparticles distribute uniformly on the nanoribbons, and CTAB as growth controller plays a key role in the formation of the uniform and stable hierarchical-structure. The as-synthesized CTAB assisted hierarchical-structure TiO2@SnO2 microclews (CA–TiO2@SnO2 MCs) elelctrode demonstrates outstanding ionic conductivity due to the structure assisting efficient contact between electrode and electrolyte, with a remarkable discharge capacity of 448.3 mAh g−1 after cycling for 500 times at a current density of 500 mA g−1, and a capacity retention of 558.8 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1 after 400 cycles in LIBs.