Electro-spun Sn nanoparticles encapsulated in N-doped carbon nanofibers as flexible integrated anodes for high-efficiency lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

The anode electrode substances of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are indispensable for the insertion and elimination of Li+. Herein, we combine electrospinning technology and heat treatment method to encapsulate Sn species in nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers (Sn/NCNFs). During the experiment, we selected polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the precursor solution, tetraphenyl porphyrin (TPP) as the N source and SnCl2·as the Sn source. The obtained one-dimensional structure no longer only successfully reduces the giant extent modifications of Sn species in the course of cycling, but additionally achieves fast Li+/e− transportation. Moreover, the introduction of N atoms causes more defects in carbon nanofibers, providing additional storage sites for Li+. Thus, the Sn/NCNF-0.168 exhibits favorable reversible capacity (~581.7 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1) and cycling stability (over 250 cycles). This work gives an advantageous strategy to design high-performance anode electrode substances for LIBs and lays the foundation for future energy applications.