One-pot synthesis of tin chalcogenide-reduced graphene oxide-carbon nanotube nanocomposite as anode material for lithium-ion batteries

In this study, a ternary tin chalcogenide (TC)-reduced graphene oxide (RGO) carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposite was synthesized as a lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode by a simple one-step protocol. The nanocomposite was prepared through a hydrothermal method using tin chloride as the tin precursor, thiourea as the sulfur source and reducing agent, and GO-CNT hybrid as the carbonaceous nanostructure. The structure, morphology, and phase analysis of the synthesized nanocomposite powder were investigated using Raman spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that GO is reduced while SnS and SnS2 nanosheets along with SnO2 nanoparticles are simultaneously formed within the RGO-CNT hybrid framework throughout the hydrothermal process. During the first lithiation-delithiation process, the discharge capacity and the columbic efficiency for the ternary TC-RGO-CNT nanocomposite electrode at a current density of 50 mA g(-1) are 1401 mA h g(-1). and 50%, respectively. The TC-RGO-CNT electrode gives an improved capacity of 197 mA h g(-1) at 500 mA g(-1) while the corresponding value for the bare TC, and binary TC-CNT and TC-RGO nanocomposite electrodes was only 5, 18, and 41 mA h g(-1), respectively. Meanwhile, the ternary nanocomposite anode indicates outstanding stability after 150 cycles with a reversible capacity of 100 mA h g(-1) at 500 mA g(-1). The excellent electrochemical performance of the ternary TC-RGO-CNT nanocomposite is ascribed to the synergistic effect of the high capacity of electrochemically-active TC nanostructures along with the large surface area, porous structure, and exceptional conductivity of the 3D RGO-CNT framework.