Electrochemical performance of pyrolyzed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based Sn/C composite anode for Li-ion batteries

The electrochemical behaviors of pyrolized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) were investigated to be applied as a carbon source in a metal–carbon composite anode in Li-ion batteries. Pyrolized PAN showed a porous structure with a reversible capacity approximately 300 mA h g−1. A pyrolyzed PAN based Sn/C composites were synthesized from SnO and PAN using a high energy ball milling followed by carbothermal reduction, and the Sn particles with diameters of 100–200 nm were randomly embedded on the carbon matrix. The composite electrode exhibited a relatively large capacity and an excellent cycle behavior. The enhanced electrochemical performances of this composite were attributed to the role as a matrix and porous nature of pyrolyzed PAN which accommodated a large volume expansion of the Sn during the reaction with Li, the increased electrical conductivity of pyrolyzed PAN and the uniformly dispersed nanometer sized Sn that formed during the cycling.

► Pyrolyzed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based Sn/C composite as an anode material for Li-ion batteries.
► Preparation of composite via high energy mechanical milling and carbothermal reduction.
► Nano-sized Sn particles were embedded in a pyrolyzed PAN matrix.
► Various sized pores were also confirmed.
► Pyrolyzed Sn/C composite exhibited a superior electrochemical performance.