Development of high energy capacities of nanoscaled Sn-Cu alloy thin film electrode materials for Li-ion batteries

A nanoscaled Sn-Cu alloy film material is intended to improve charge-discharge capacities with respect to the negative electrode in Li-ion batteries. Sn-Cu alloy film electrodes are prepared using sulfate electrolyte by a pulse current plating method. Pulse duty cycles of 10% at a frequency of 10 Hz with a peak current density 1 A dm(-2) are employed. The electrochemical discharge-charge capacities of the lithium insertion process and the reversible charging process are 1058 mA h g(-1) and 612 mA h g(-1) in the initial cycling, respectively. Also, Coulombic efficiency was 87.2% at the end of the 30th cycle. Thus, nanoscaled Sn-Cu alloy film electrodes are good candidates for anode material in Li-ion rechargeable batteries. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.