Preparation of multifunctional P-CF@SnO2-MOF composite used as structural anode materials

Abstract Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers (P-CFs) have attracted much attention among multifunctional materials, due to their high axial tensile strength and decent electric conductivity. To further improve the comprehensive performance of P-CF, the P-CF@SnO2-MOF composite by coating MOF-derived SnO2 on the surface of P-CF has been synthesized successfully. As a result, the as-prepared composite simultaneously exhibits excellent mechanical properties and electrochemical characteristics. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of the prepared samples are 39.1 MPa and 195 GPa, up to 77.64% and 87.78% of the original P-CF. The P-CF@SnO2-MOF composite exhibits reversible specific capacity of 732.1 mAh·g−1 after 150 cycles at a current density of 100 mA·g−1, almost 4.02 times as high as for the original carbon fibers (181.9 mAh·g−1). Such preeminent comprehensive performance can be attributed to the unique discontinuous structure of SnO2-MOF, and the synergistic effects between the SnO2-MOF coating layer and the carbon fiber matrix.