Sn4P3/SbSn Nanocomposites for Anode Application in Sodium-Ion Batteries

A facile one-pot solvothermal method has been developed to synthesize Sn4P3/SbSn nanocomposites with a side-by-side configuration in individual nanoparticles. We show that introducing SbSn to Sn4P3 in such a configuration can improve the cyclic stability of the phase-pure Sn4P3 electrode without sacrificing its practical capacity, although the theoretical capacity of SbSn is lower than that of Sn4P3. The nanocomposite anode delivers a highest capacity of 614.7 mA hg at a current density of 100 mA h g(-1) and shows superior capacity retention to the phase pure Sn4P3, SbSn, or physical mixture of Sn4P3&SbSn based anodes after long cycles. The intact interface between the Sn4P3 and SbSn in the nanocomposite and their synergetic effect play important roles in enhancing the electrochemical performance of the composite electrode.