Open AccessA General Strategy to Fabricate Carbon‐Coated 3D Porous Interconnected Metal Sulfides: Case Study of SnS/C Nanocomposite for High‐Performance Lithium and Sodium Ion Batteries
Author(s) -
Zhu Changbao,
Kopold Peter,
Li Weihan,
van Aken Peter A.,
Maier Joachim,
Yu Yan
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.201500200
Subject(s) - materials science , nanocomposite , lithium (medication) , current collector , graphene , chemical engineering , carbon fibers , energy storage , electrode , battery (electricity) , nanotechnology , foil method , amorphous carbon , carbon nanotube , amorphous solid , composite material , composite number , electrolyte , chemistry , medicine , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , endocrinology , engineering , organic chemistry
Transition metal sulfides have a great potential for energy storage due to the pronouncedly higher capacity (owing to conversion to metal or even alloy) than traditional insertion electrode materials. However, the poor cycling stability still limits the development and application in lithium and sodium ion batteries. Here, taking SnS as a model material, a novel general strategy is proposed to fabricate a 3D porous interconnected metal sulfide/carbon nanocomposite by the electrostatic spray deposition technique without adding any expensive carbonaceous materials such as graphene or carbon nanotube. In this way, small nanorods of SnS are generated with sizes of ≈10–20 nm embedded in amorphous carbon and self‐assembled into a 3D porous interconnected nanocomposite. The SnS:C is directly deposited on the Ti foil as a current collector and neither conductive additives nor binder are needed for battery assembly. Such electrodes exhibit a high reversible capacity, high rate capability, and long cycling stability for both lithium and sodium storage.