Carbon Nanosheets Encapsulated NiSb Nanoparticles as Advanced Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Metallic antimony (Sb) has been attracted much attentions as anode for lithium-ion batteries due to its high capacity. Nevertheless, the large volume expansion during the lithiation process leads to poor electrochemical performance, which seriously limits the practical application in lithium-ion batteries. Herein, NiSb nanoparticles encapsulated by carbon nanosheets have been developed via a facile strategy and as anode for lithium-ion batteries. In this attractive structure, the carbon nanosheets can effectively avoid volume change of NiSb nanoparticles and inhibit the direct contact of NiSb nanoparticles to the electrolyte during the lithiation/delithiation process. As a result, the NiSb/C nanosheets display an outstanding long cycling performance (405 mA h g(-1) after 1000 cycles at 1.0 A g(-1)) and excellent rate capability (305 mA h g(-1) at 2.0 A g(-1)) when application in lithium-ion batteries.