Solvothermal synthesis of flower-like Cu2ZnSnS4 nanostructures and their application as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

In this Letter, flower-like Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanostructures were synthesized by solvothermal method. SEM and TEM images revealed that these flower-like CZTS nanostructures are constructed from nanosheets with thickness of about 25 nm. When used as anode materials, these flower-like CZTS exhibited stable lithium-ion insertion/extraction reversibility and long cycle life. The electrochemical performance could be attributed to their hierarchical nanostructure as well as the efficient charge transport induced by Cu and/or Zn. The electrochemical properties of these flower-like CZTS nanostructures implied its potential application as anode materials in the next generation lithium-ion batteries. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.