Bioinspired Carbon/SnO2 Composite Anodes Prepared from a Photonic Hierarchical Structure for Lithium Batteries.
A carbon/SnO2 composite (C-SnO2) with hierarchical photonic structure was fabricated from the templates of butterfly wings. We have investigated for the first time its application as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries. It was demonstrated to have high reversible capacities, good cycling stability, and excellent high-rate discharge performance, as shown by a capacitance of ∼572 mAh g(-1) after 100 cycles, 4.18 times that of commercial SnO2 powder (137 mAh g(-1)); a far better recovery capability of 94.3% was observed after a step-increase and sudden-recovery current. An obvious synergistic effect was found between the porous, hierarchically photonic microstructure and the presence of carbon; the synergy guarantees an effective flow of electrolyte and a short diffusion length of lithium ions, provides considerable buffering room, and prevents aggregation of SnO2 particles in the discharge/charge processes. This nature-inspired strategy points out a new direction for the fabrication of alternative anode materials.
†State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Yao
Y
Li
Qing
Q
Meng
§School of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5095, Australia.
Jun
J
Ma
†State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Chengling
C
Zhu
†State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Jingru
J
Cui
Zhixin
Z
Chen
Zaiping
Z
Guo
†State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Tao
T
Zhang
†State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Shenmin
S
Zhu
†State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Di
D
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004566:Electrodes; D008094:Lithium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008904:Miniaturization; D054802:Molecular Imprinting / Q000379:methods; D009036:Moths / Q000737:chemistry; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017785:Photons; D013499:Surface Properties; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D017971:Tin Compounds; D002244:Carbon; D008094:Lithium; C045358:stannic oxide
3D photonic structure; anode material; bioinspired material; composite; hierarchical; lithium ion battery