High-rate amorphous SnO2 nanomembrane anodes for Li-ion batteries with a long cycling life

Amorphous SnO2 nanomembranes as anodes for lithium ion batteries demonstrate a long cycling life of 1000 cycles at 1600 mA g(-1) with a high reversible capacity of 854 mA h g(-1) and high rate capability up to 40 A g(-1). The superior performance is because of the structural features of the amorphous SnO2 nanomembranes. The nanoscale thickness provides considerably reduced diffusion paths for Li+. The amorphous structure can accommodate the strain of lithiation/delithiation, especially during the initial lithiation. More importantly, the mechanical feature of deformation can buffer the strain of repeated lithiation/delithiation, thus putting off pulverization. In addition, the two-dimensional transport pathways in between nanomembranes make the pseudo-capacitance more prominent. The encouraging results demonstrate the significant potential of nanomembranes for high power batteries.