Boron-Doped, Carbon-Coated SnO2/Graphene Nanosheets for Enhanced Lithium Storage

Graphical Doping for better anode s: Boron-doped carbon-coated SnO 2 /graphene hybrids (BCTGs) were fabricated by hydrothermal carbonization of sucrose in the presence of SnO 2 /graphene (TG) nanosheets and phenylboronic acid or boric acid as dopant source to give BSTGs and subsequent thermal treatment (see figure; GO: graphene oxide). Owing to the dopant B atoms in the hybrid and its 2D core–shell architecture, the hybrid obtained with phenylboronic acid as B source exhibits outstanding cycle stability after 360 cycles and an excellent rate capability at high current density. Heteroatom doping is an effective method to adjust the electrochemical behavior of carbonaceous materials. In this work, boron-doped, carbon-coated SnO 2 /graphene hybrids (BCTGs) were fabricated by hydrothermal carbonization of sucrose in the presence of SnO 2 /graphene nanosheets and phenylboronic acid or boric acid as dopant source and subsequent thermal treatment. Owing to their unique 2D core–shell architecture and B-doped carbon shells, BCTGs have enhanced conductivity and extra active sites for lithium storage. With phenylboronic acid as B source, the resulting hybrid shows outstanding electrochemical performance as the anode in lithium-ion batteries with a highly stable capacity of 1165 mA h g −1 at 0.1 A g −1 after 360 cycles and an excellent rate capability of 600 mA h g −1 at 3.2 A g −1 , and thus outperforms most of the previously reported SnO 2 -based anode materials.