SnO2/NiO core-shell nanobelts and their high reversible lithium storage capacity arising from synergisticeffect

SnO2/NiO core-shell nanobelts have been synthesized simply by coating NiO nanobelts with a thin layer of SnO2 nanoparticles. As the anode material of lithium-ion battery, SnO2/NiO core-shell nanobelts exhibit higher reversible capacity (∼900 mAh/g at C/20 rate) and better cycling performance than individual NiO or SnO2 materials. The excellent performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between SnO2 and NiO. Our results demonstrate the potential applications of SnO2/NiO core-shell nanobelts in high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

► SnO2/NiO core-shell nanobelts are firstly synthesized, and firstly used as anodes of lithium-ion battery.
► SnO2/NiO core-shell nanobelts shows very high reversible lithium storage capacity, higher than individual SnO2, NiO materials or traditional theoretical results.
► A new lithium insertion/extraction mechanism based on synergistic effect has been investigated. And the experimental data and theoretical discussion can provoke a new direction for fabricating high-performance lithium-ion battery.