Preparation of Advanced Lithium Secondary Batteries with Tin-Iron Alloy Plating Anodes and Their Charge-Discharge Behaviors

Charge-discharge behaviors for tin-12% iron alloy films on electrolytic copper foils prepared by electroplating, which were low cost and made of environmentally friendly alloy, were investigated for X-ray a diffraction measurement, cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge tests. Tin-12% iron alloy plating anodes showed a discharge capacity of 374 mAh/g after 50 cycles with metallic lithium as counter electrodes. From the results of cyclic voltammograms for tin-12% iron alloy plating anodes, the current value for lithium deposition increased around 0.26 V in the first cycle and increased around 0.68 V in the second cycle. The current value for lithium deposition in tin plating anodes increased around 0.66 V in the first cycle. These results suggested that iron was separated from tin-iron alloy plating film in the first charge and electric conductivity of tin-lithium intermetallic compounds formed bycharge-discharge reactions was improved by the dispersion of iron particles between these compounds. At a discharge rate of 5C(50 A/m2) tin-12% iron alloy plating anodes showed a discharge capacity of 285 mAh/g after 50 cycles and was applicable for high discharge rate. A coin-type cell(CR 2032) with a tin-12% iron alloy plating anode and a LiCoO2 cathode showed a discharge capacity of 273 mAh/g and coulombic efficiency of 90.4% after 95 cycles in charge-discharge tests at a constant charge capacity of 302 mAh/g. Therefore, tin-12% iron alloy plating anodes can be expected to substitute for carbon as high capacity anodes for advanced lithium secondary batteries.