The major obstacle in realizing sodium (Na)-ion batteries (NIBs) is the absence of suitable negative electrodes. This is because graphite, a commercially well known anode material for lithium-ion batteries, cannot be utilized as an insertion host for Na ions due to its large ionic size. In this study, a simple and cost-effective hydrothermal method to prepare carbon coated tin oxide (SnO2) nanostructures as an efficient anode material for NIBs was reported as a function of the solvent used. A single phase SnO2 resulted for the ethanol solvent, while a blend of SnO and SnO2 resulted for the DI water and ethylene glycol solvents. The elemental mapping in the transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of carbon coating on the SnO2 nanoparticles. In cell tests, the anodes of carbon coated SnO2 prepared in ethanol solvent exhibited stable cycling performance and attained a capacity of about 514 mAh g(-1) on the first charge. With the help of the conductive carbon coating, the SnO2 delivers more capacity at high rates: 304 mAh g(-1) at the 1 C rate, 213 mAh g(-1) at the 2 C rate and 133 mAh g(-1) at the 5 C rate. The excellent cyclability and high rate capability are the result of the formation of a mixed conducting network and uniform carbon coating on the SnO2 nanoparticles.
Keywords: anode material; conversion reaction; hydrothermal synthesis; sodiation/desodiation; sodium-ion battery; tin oxide/carbon composite.