Synthesis and Lithium Storage Properties of Zn, Co and Mg doped SnO2 Nano Materials

In this paper, we show that magnesium and cobalt doped SnO2 (Mg-SnO2 and Co-SnO2) nanostructures have profound influence on the discharge capacity and coulombic efficiency of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) employing pure SnO2 and zinc doped SnO2 (Zn-SnO2) as benchmark materials. The materials were synthesized via sol-gel technique. The structural, chemical and morphological characterization indicates that the Zn, Mg and Co dopants were effectively implanted into the SnO2 lattice and that Co doping significantly reduced the grain growth. The electrochemical performances of the nanoparticles were investigated using galvanostatic cycling, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The Co-SnO2 electrode delivered a reversible capacity of around 575 mAh g−1 at the 50th cycle with capacity retention of ∼83% at 60 mA g−1current rate. A capacity of ∼415 mAh g−1 when cycling at 103 mA g−1and >60% improvement in coulombic efficiency compared to the pure compound clearly demonstrate the superiority of Co-SnO2 electrodes. The improved electrochemical properties are attributed to the reduction in particle size of the material up to a few nanometers, which efficiently reduced the distance of lithium diffusion pathway and reduction in the volume change by alleviating the structural strain caused during the Li+ intake/outtake process. The EIS analyses of the electrodes corroborated the difference in electrochemical performances of the electrodes: the Co-SnO2 electrode showed the lowest resistance at different voltages during cycling among other electrodes

Sustainable Graphenothermal Reduction Chemistry to Obtain MnO Nanonetwork Supported Exfoliated Graphene Oxide Composite and its Electrochemical Characteristics

Exfoliated graphene oxide (EG)/manganese­(II) oxide (MnO) composite powder is synthesized by simple solid state graphenothermal reduction process. Structural, chemical, and morphological studies confirm the formation of EG/MnO composite in which cubic MnO crystallites are found to anchor onto EG surfaces. The as-synthesized EG/MnO composite is constituted with 65 and 35 wt % of MnO and EG, respectively. The EG/MnO composite exhibits a specific surface area of ∼82 m² g^–1 and an average pore size of ∼12 nm. As an anode in lithium-ion batteries, the EG/MnO composite shows a high reversible capacity of 936 mAh g^–1 at a current rate of 75 mA g^–1. Capacity retention of ∼84% (784 mAh g^–1) is observed even at the 100th cycle which corresponds to a Coulombic efficiency of ∼99%. Cyclic voltammetry studies on the composite show that Li storage is owing to reversible conversion reactions of MnO and electrochemical absorption/desorption by EG. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies clearly show easy lithiation kinetics. Owing to the electrochemical performance of EG/MnO composite and its easy, reproducible, and scalable synthesis procedure, it is an excellent addition to this class of similar materials

MgO-decorated few-layered graphene as an anode for Li-ion batteries

10.1021/am5064712ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces742301-230