A facile method for in-situ synthesis of SnO2/graphene as a high performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries

A facile, moderate, and environment-friendly method for in-situ preparation of SnO2/graphene nanocomposites (SnO2/GNs) was proposed. The structures and morphology as well as electrochemical behaviors of SnO2/GNs with varied proportions of SnO2 and graphene were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy and relevant electrochemical property tests. The results reveal that the ratios of SnO2 to graphene have a significant effect on the structures and properties of SnO2/GNs. SnO2/GN-50 containing 50% SnO2 delivers a high specific capacity of 540 mAh g−1 even after 90 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g−1, which is attributed to the synergistic effect of a unique combination of SnO2 nanoparticles and graphene sheets, indicating that SnO2/GNs might have a promising future as anode material in Li-ion batteries.