3D microporous Sn-Sb-Ni alloy impregnated Ni foam as high-performance negative electrode for lithium-ion batteries

A novel, “active-active-inactive” type Tin-Antimony-Nickel alloy with dendritic morphology electrodeposited on 3D interconnected microporous Nickel foam (∼8 μm pore diameter) as a potential high capacity anode for Li-ion batteries is reported. The multiphase composition comprising of SnSb and Ni3Sn4 “reactant” intermetallics dispersed in Sn “matrix”, alleviates the volumetric stress generated during cycling by lithiating at different step potentials (0.84, 0.66, 0.57, 0.42, 0.40, and 0.38–0.25 V vs. Li/Li+). Nickel foam was synthesized by template-free hydrogen bubble-assisted electrodeposition and it successfully acts as a stress buffer preventing delamination. This combination of properties for Tin-Antimony-Nickel anode impregnated into Nickel foam results in 2nd cycle discharge capacity of 845 mAh/g, superior rate capability and stable cycle retention with a capacity loss of 16% in the last 50 cycles at a rate of 430 mA/g (0.5 C), while preserving its structural integrity and micro-architecture in comparison to a Tin-Antimony-Nickel anode deposited on a planar Nickel film as a current collector.