Sn-based Intermetallic Alloy Anode Materials for the Application of Lithium Ion Batteries

•Sn based intermetallic alloys using active/inactive composite materials have been prepared by reductive co-precipitation method.•SnSb:Co alloy exhibited minimal particle size of 20 nm, whereas SnSb:Fe and SnSb:Co showed 60 nm diameter.•SnSb:Co exhibits high capacity retention of 580 mAh g−1 at 50th cycle with good Coulombic efficiency.

Nano-sized SnSb:Fe, SnSb:Co and SnSb:Ni intermetallic alloys were synthesized from metal chlorides via reductive co-precipitation method using NaBH4 as reducing agent to improve the electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries. Phase composition and particle morphology of the compounds were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thermal properties of the compounds were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The electrochemical performance of the alloys has been evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic cycling (GC) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Among all, SnSb:Co alloy exhibits high specific capacity retention of 580 mAh g−1 with high coulombic efficiency of 98%, at a current density of 60 mA g−1 in the potential range, 0.005–1.5 V. An electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies was carried at various charge-discharge voltages and its fitted resistance and capacitance values are discussed.

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