Tin antimony oxide @graphene as a novel anode material for lithium ion batteries

Bimetal oxides have attracted much attention due to their unique characteristics caused by the synergistic effect of bimetallic elements, such as adjustable operating voltage and improved electronic conductivity. Here, a novel bimetal oxide Sn0.918Sb0.109O2@graphene (TAO@G) was synthesized via hydrothermal method, and applied as anode material for lithium ion batteries. Compared with SnO2, the addition of Sb to form a bimetallic oxide Sn0.918Sb0.109O2 can shorten the band gap width, which is proved by DFT calculation. The narrower band gap width can speed up the lithium ions transport and improve the electrochemical performances of TAO@G. TAO@G is a structure in which graphene supports nano-sized TAO particles, and it is conducive to the electrons transport and can improve its electrochemical performances. TAO@G achieved a high initial reversible discharge specific capacity of 1176.3 mA h g(-1) at 0.1 A g(-1) and a good capacity of 648.1 mA h g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1) after 365 cycles. Results confirm that TAO@G is a novel prospective anode material for LIBs.