Direct electrodeposition of ionic liquid-based template-free SnCo alloy nanowires as an anode for Li-ion batteries

• Published in: International journal of minerals, metallurgy and materials metallurgy and materials, 2018-09, Vol.25 (9), p.1027-1034
• Main Authors: Wang, Le-ping, Chen, Gang, Shen, Qi-xin, Li, Guo-min, Guan, Shi-you, Li, Bing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alloys; Ceramics; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composites; Corrosion and Coatings; Discharge; Electrodeposition; Electrodes; Glass; Ionic liquids; Lithium-ion batteries; Materials Science; Metallic Materials; Microscopy; Nanowires; Natural Materials; Oxidation; Rechargeable batteries; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Tin chloride; Tribology
• ISSN: 1674-4799; 1869-103X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12613-018-1653-0

SnCo alloy nanowires were successfully electrodeposited from SnCl 2 −CoCl 2 −1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMIC) ionic liquid without a template. The nanowires were obtained from the molar ratio of 5:40:60 for SnCl 2 :CoCl 2 :EMIC at −0.55 V and showed a minimum diameter of about 50 nm and lengths of over 20 μm. The as-fabricated SnCo nanowires were about 70 nm in diameter and featured a Sn/Co weight ratio of 3.85:1, when used as an anode for a Li-ion battery, they presented respective specific capacities of 687 and 678 mAh·g −1 after the first charge and discharge cycle and maintained capacities of about 654 mAh·g−1 after 60 cycles and 539 mAh·g −1 after 80 cycles at a current density of 300 mA·g −1 . Both the nanowire structure and presence of elemental Co helped buffer large volume changes in the Sn anode during charging and discharging to a certain extent, thereby improving the cycling performance of the Sn anode.