Three-dimensional Ni3Sn4 Negative Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Three-dimensional alloy based Ni3Sn4 negative electrodes were fabricated by simple electrodeposition technique on a mesoporous nickel foam substrate to improve the capacity and cyclability of Ni3Sn4 anodes for lithium-ion batteries. The combination of thin film geometry with three-dimensional foam structure is aimed to optimize the ionic/electronic current paths, and to accommodate the mechanical stresses induced by the volume changes in the electrode during repeated cycling. The surface morphology of the obtained Ni3Sn4 alloy electrodes was characterized by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis was performed to characterize the phases and possible impurities present in the alloy. The electrochemical features of the electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge test experiments. Obtained results showed that the as-prepared three-dimensional Ni3Sn4 anodes are capable of providing satisfactory lithium storage and promising cycling performance.