Sn/FeSn2/FeO@N-doped carbon yolk-shell nanocubes with multi-phase nanocores for highly stable anode materials in lithium-ion battery

A two-step approach using co-precipitation and thermal reduction treatment strategy is adopted to synthesize Sn/FeSn 2 /FeO@nitrogen-doped carbon yolk-shell nanocubes with multi-phase nanocores for highly stable anode materials in lithium-ion battery. In the novel yolk-shell nanostructure , the multi-phase nanocores consist of Sn, FeSn 2 and FeO nanoparticles while the shell is made of amorphous nitrogen-doped carbon. With the synergy of multi-phase nanocores, the confining effect of the carbon shell and the in -depth nanocrystallization of Sn/FeSn 2 /FeO nanocores in the yolk-shell nanostructures, Sn/FeSn 2 /FeO@C nanocomposites exhibit high capacity of 601 mAh g −1 at 0.1 Ag −1 after the 300th cycle and capacity of 484 mAh g −1 at 0.5 Ag −1 after the 600th cycle. Our work suggests that high-performance battery materials can be produced by rational structure engineering of multi-phase nanocomposites.