SnO2/TiO2 nanocomposites embedded in porous carbon as a superior anode material for lithium-ion batteries

With the objective of improving the capacity and cycling stability of SnO2-based anode materials, a new material of SnO2/TiO2 nanocomposites dispersed at porous carbon was synthesized via a route of absorption and carbonization by using Ti-MOF (MIL-125) as both titanium and carbon sources and SnCl2 as tin source. The composite shows micro-/nano-scale combined configuration: a monodisperse sub-micro cylinder structure formed by well-dispersed SnO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles in amorphous carbon matrix. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of TiO2 nanoparticle and amorphous carbon on maintaining the robust architecture as well as the uniform and stable nano-sized particles, the composite exhibits excellent performance as anode material for lithium-ion batteries: a high specific capacity of 1177 mA h g(-1) and 88.7% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 100 mA h g(-1), and a stable capacity of 487 at high current density of 2 A g(-1).