Depositing natural stibnite on 3D TiO2 nanotube array networks as high-performance thin-film anode for lithium-ion batteries

Three-dimensional (3D) thin-film electrodes are promising solution to the volume change of active materials in lithium-ion batteries. As a conductive current collector, the 3D TiO 2 nanotube array networks (TNAs) have a one-dimensional stable electronic conductive path and increase the adhesion between the current collector and raw material, thereby improving the cycle stability of active materials. In this study, a novel 3D-TNAs@Sb 2 S 3 anode was fabricated by directly depositing natural stibnite onto 3D TNAs. The adhesion of Sb 2 S 3 particles to the substrate was enhanced due to the large surface area provided by 3D-TNAs. Moreover, the porous layered structure composed of Sb 2 S 3 nanoparticles relieved the stress generated during lithiation and adapted to the volume change of Sb 2 S 3 during cycling. Therefore, the resulting composite anode exhibits high cycle and rate performance, reaching 0.36 mAh·cm −2  after 80 cycles at the galvanostatic rate of 1 mA·cm −2 , with high coulombic efficiency of 98%.