Effect of graphite content on electrochemical performance of Sn-SnSb/graphite composite powders

Sn-SnSb alloy was synthesized by reducing a aqueous solution containing Sn(II) and Sb(III) salts with NaBH4 in the presence of sodium citrate. The product was characterized by X-ray diffractometry(XRD) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). Sn-SnSb/graphite composite powders were prepared by mechanical milling and the mass fraction of graphite was increased from 20% to 50%. The effect of graphite content on the electrochemical performance of Sn-SnSb/graphite composite electrode was investigated. The results show the increase of graphite content is in favor of enhancing the first charge-discharge efficiency and improving the cycle performance, but the capacity of the composite electrode decreases with increasing content of graphite.