Authors

• Qian Yang
• Zhibin Wu
• Zhijian Wang
• Wei Liu
• Jianwen Liu
• Chuanqi Feng
• Wei Sun
• Haimin Zhao
• Zaiping Guo

Abstract

Single-phase bi-metal oxides and sulfides have attracted considerable research interest recently for battery application because of their outstanding electrochemical properties, but there are few reports on single-phase bi-metal hydroxides in battery research. Herein, we pioneer the electrochemical study of ZnSn(OH)6 nanocubes for lithium-ion battery application. The ZnSn(OH)6 nanocubes, synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method, can deliver a favorable specific discharge capacity of 599.3 mA h g -1 at 500 mA g -1 after 200 cycles and maintain good rate capability even at 2 A g -1 . The excellent electrochemical performance of these ZnSn(OH)6 nanocubes can be attributed to the synergetic Li storage capability of Zn and Sn elements with diverse electrochemical reactions, the small uniform nanocubes (30−50 nm) that alleviate the pulverization and cracking of the electrode and shorten electron/ion transport paths, and the good mechanical properties of ZnSn(OH)6, which facilitate maintenance of the structural integrity of the electrode during the Li + extraction/insertion process. Therefore, with these outstanding advantages, the ZnSn(OH)6 nanocubes could be one of the most promising anodes for advanced lithium-ion batteries.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

• ZnSn(OH)6
• BI
• metal hydroxides
• lithium
• ion batteries
• anode