Facile synthesis of one-dimensional hollow Sb2O3@TiO2 composites as anode materials for lithium ion batteries

Abstract Metallic Sb is deemed as a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to its flat voltage platform and high security. Nevertheless, the limited capacity restricts its large-scale application. Therefore, a simple and effective method to explore novel antimony trioxide with high capacity used as anode material for LIBs is imperative. In this work, we report a facile and efficient strategy to fabricate 1D hollow Sb2O3@TiO2 composites by using the Kirkendall effect. When used as an anode material for LIBs, the optimal Sb2O3@TiO2 composite displays a high reversible discharge capacity of 593 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1 after 100 cycles and a relatively superior discharge capacity of 439 mAh g−1 at a current density of 500 mA g−1 even after 600 cycles. In addition, a reversible discharge capacity of 334 mAh g−1 can also be obtained even at a current density of 2000 mA g−1. The excellent cycling stability and rate performance of the Sb2O3@TiO2 composite can be attributed to the synergistic effect of TiO2 shell and hollow structure of Sb2O3, both of which can effectively buffer the volume expansion and maintain the integrity of the electrode during the repeated charge-discharge cycles.