Pulsed-Laser-Deposited Sn4P3 Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Sn4P3 thin films have been successfully fabricated by reactive pulsed laser deposition for the first time and were investigated for their electrochemistry with lithium. The reversible discharge capacity of Sn4P3/Li cells cycled between 0 and 3.0 V was found to be about 906.2 mAh g(-1). By using ex situ X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and selected-area electron diffraction measurements, both the classical alloying process and the phosphorization/reduction of nanosized Sn were revealed in the lithium electrochemical reaction of Sn4P3 film electrode. Large reversible capacity of Sn4P3 made it a potential anode material for future lithium-ion batteries.