Core‐Shell Structure of SnO₂@C/PEDOT : PSS Microspheres with Dual Protection Layers for Enhanced Lithium Storage Performance

Abstract

Abundant material SnO2 is considered as a promising lithium‐ion battery (LIB) anode candidate due to its high theoretical capacity. Yet, the achieved capacity is restricted by the severe cycling degradation. Rational structural design can mitigate the volume expansion of SnO2, improving the structural stability and reaction kinetics at the same time. Herein, core‐shell structured SnO2@C/PEDOT : PSS microspheres are synthesized through a facile approach combined with hydrothermal treatment and polymerization. In the well‐designed architecture, amorphous carbon coated ultrafine SnO2 nanoparticles are aggregated into regular microspheres and wrapped by a PEDOT : PSS layer, forming a robust core‐shell structure with dual protection layers. Such hierarchical structure provides sufficient ion/electron ingress/transport channels, restrains the adverse reaction of the electrolyte, improves the conductivity and buffers the interior stress of the entire electrode, resulting in the stable cycle performance. When evaluated as LIB anode, it demonstrates an initial reversible capacity of 1170.5 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C, maintaining a high capacity of 441.5 mAh g−1 after 1200 stable cycles at high rate of 2 C. The strategy gives a rational avenue to design the oxide anodes with efficient hierarchical structure for LIB development.

Conductive Core–Shell Nanoparticles: Synthesis and Applications

“…The polymeric shell not only enhances the structural stability of the electrode material but also can be engineered to contribute to the pseudocapacitance, further boosting the energy storage capabilities. This is the widest application for this type of material, with successful use in electrochemical capacitors, lithium–sulfur batteries, rechargeable lithium batteries, ,, energy storage, , and supercapacitor electrodes . One example of this is the work of Zhou et al, which presents the development of core–shell structured S@PPy NPs sandwiched in graphene sheets, aimed at enhancing the performance of lithium–sulfur batteries .…”

Insights into Enhancing Electrochemical Performance of Li-Ion Battery Anodes via Polymer Coating

“…The PDA-coated SnO 2 [117] with a layer thickness of 5 nm exhibited significantly improved cycling stability and demonstrated good cyclability for over 300 cycles. Li et al reported a facile approach combined with hydrothermal treatment and polymerization to fabricate the core-shell-structured SnO 2 @C/PEDOT:PSS micro-sphere anodes, as seen in Figure 7a [126]. For a better understanding of structural changes during cycling, the TEM images of the SnO 2 @C anode after 200 cycles at a current rate of 0.5 C are depicted in Figure 7b,c.…”

Intrinsically conducting polymers and their combinations with redox-active molecules for rechargeable battery electrodes: an update

“…By mechanical and implicitly electronic contact with other coated particles it can also enhance electron transport across the electrode. A typical example is the use of a PEDOT:PSS shell around a SnO 2 core (Li et al 2019e). Overall performance improvements, in particular a major stability improvement, were reported.…”