Sn incorporation boosts reversible conversion reaction of FeOOH nanocomposite for high-performance lithium storage

FeOOH is an appealing anodic material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high capacity and nature abundance. However, problems of low electrical conductivity and sluggish reaction kinetics seriously affect its electrochemical performance and potential uses. In this work, fine Sn-incorporated FeOOH particles are uniformly embedded in graphene sheets (Sn-FeOOH@GS) through a facile low-temperature hydrothermal reaction. The graphene sheets can markedly enhance the charge transfer and structural stability of FeOOH. Meanwhile, the incorporation of Sn can further promote conversion reaction kinetics and increase the electroactive sites for Li-ion storage. As a result, the Sn-FeOOH@GS nanocomposite manifests high discharge capacity (1445.0 mAh g⁻¹ over 200 cycles at 100 mA g⁻¹) and remarkable rate capability (767.2 mAh g⁻¹ at 2000 mA g⁻¹). Additionally, a discharge capacity of 689.2 mAh g⁻¹ can be achieved after undergoing 400 cycles at 1000 mA g⁻¹. With excellent Li-storage capability and facile low-cost synthesis, this Sn-FeOOH@GS nanocomposite presents itself as a prospective anodic material in LIB applications.