Synergistic effect of hierarchical SnO 2 nanorods/Fe 2 O 3 hexahedrons with enhanced performance as lithium ion battery anodes

Abstract Hierarchical SnO 2 -Fe 2 O 3 nanocomposites composed of SnO 2 nanorods and Fe 2 O 3 hexahedrons are successfully prepared by a two-step hydrothermal method. The lithium ion batteries (LIBs) based on as-synthesized products are fabricated to investigate their electrochemical performance. As an anode material for LIBs, SnO 2 -Fe 2 O 3 nanocomposites deliver a high capacity of 1022 mAh g −1 at 100 mA g −1 after 100 cycles. The cycling stability and rate performance of the nanocomposites are significantly improved. The enhanced performances benefit from the synergistic effect of SnO 2 nanorods and Fe 2 O 3 hexahedrons. The iron (Fe) nanoparticles reduced from Fe 2 O 3 not only facilitate the conversion reaction of SnO 2 , resulting in the high capacity, but also increase the conductivity of the material. In addition, SnO 2 serves as a matrix to protect Fe 2 O 3 from agglomeration, and the hierarchical structure effectively buffers volume changes, thus enhancing the cycling life of LIBs.