Preparation of Si/Sn@C composite anodes through in-situ self-formed templating for enhanced lithium storage

• An in-situ self-formed templating method for preparing Si/Sn@C anode is proposed. • The method avoids the use of organic solvents and does not need extra steps to create pore. • The Si/Sn@C anode displays outstanding lithium storage performance. • The synergistic effect of Si , Sn and mesoporous carbon endows superior properties. The fabrication procedure of Si-Sn-C composite anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is complex and involves the usage of organic solvents, increasing costs and having an impact on the environment, which is not conducive to the development of anode materials. Herein, we adopt an in-situ self-formed templating approach to prepare Si/Sn@C composite with Si nanoparticles and Sn submicron particles embedded into mesoporous carbon matrix, in-situ self-formed Na 2 CO 3 as template. The synergistic effect of Si nanoparticles, Sn submicron particles and mesoporous carbon endows the anode with a discharge capacity of 822.1 mAh/g with 100 cycles. Furthermore, the assembled Si/Sn@C||LiCoO 2 full cell can lighten LED lights with the “DMU” logo. This work offers some reference and enlightenment for the scalable and synthesis of high-performance composite anodes.