Researchers have synthesised nanoalloys from the metals tin and antimony that are suitable for producing lithium ion batteries, which are important for powering portable electronic devices such as cameras and laptop computers1.
The researchers synthesised the nanoalloys by reducing solutions of stannic chloride and antimony chloride with solutions of sodium hydroxide and sodium borohydride. They then coated a slurry of the nanoalloy on copper foil and nickel mesh electrodes. Finally, the researchers made lithium ion batteries by using a coated copper foil or nickel mesh electrode as the anode, the lithium metal electrode as the cathode and lithium hexafluorophosphate as the electrolyte.
The scientists performed electrochemical measurements by applying various voltages to the batteries. Both copper foil and nickel mesh electrodes showed excellent stability at the applied voltages. The nanoalloy-coated nickel mesh electrode had a lower resistance than the copper foil electrode, indicating very fast lithium ion transport in the nickel mesh electrode. The copper foil electrode had a higher charge retention capacity than the nickel mesh electrode. In addition, lithium ion transport was very fast in the nanoalloy-based lithium ion batteries, even after 50 cycles of electrochemical measurements.
