title: Template synthesis of SnO2/α-Fe2O3 nanotube array for 3D lithium ion battery anode with large areal capacity.
abstract: Electrodes with three-dimensional (3D) nanostructure are expected to improve the energy and power densities per footprint area of lithium ion microbatteries. Herein, we report a large-scale synthesis of a SnO(2)/α-Fe(2)O(3) composite nanotube array on a stainless steel substrate via a ZnO nanowire array as an in situ sacrificial template without using any strong acid or alkali. Importantly, both SnO(2) and α-Fe(2)O(3) contribute to the lithium storage, and the hybridization of SnO(2) and α-Fe(2)O(3) into an integrated nanotube structure provides them with an elegant synergistic effect when participating in electrochemical reactions. Large areal capacities and good rate capability are demonstrated for such a composite nanotube array. Particularly noteworthy is that the areal capacities (e.g. 1.289 mAh cm(-2) at a current rate of 0.1 mA cm(-2)) are much larger than those of many previous thin-film/3D microbattery electrodes. Our work suggests the possibility of further improving the areal capacity/energy density of 3D microelectrodes by designing ordered hybrid nanostructure arrays.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Weiqian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Feipeng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ruizhi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jinping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu