Fabrication of amorphous SnO2@C nanofibers as anode for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract Amorphous SnO 2 @C hybrid nanofibers are fabricated from PAN and SnCl 4 by electrospinning and carbonization. TEM, EDX, and XRD measurements confirm the amorphous feature of SnO 2 . The carbon matrix inhibits the migration and crystallization of SnO 2 at a low temperature that induce the formation of amorphous SnO 2 . The amorphous SnO 2 @C nanofibers exhibit improved electrochemical performances with a large initial capacity of 1098.3 mAh g −1 and a capacity retention of 380.4 mAh g −1 after 100 cycles at a rate of 50 mA g −1 . The nanofibrous morphology is well preserved after cyclic charge-discharge. The enhanced electrochemical properties stem from the coupling advantages of the nanofiberous carbon matrix and the amorphous SnO 2 .