Fabrication of one-dimensional SnO2/MoO3/C nanostructure assembled of stacking SnO2 nanosheets from its heterostructure precursor and its application in lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Carbon-coated one-dimensional (1-D) SnO₂/MoO₃ nanostructure (SnO₂/MoO₃/C) composed of densely stacked SnO₂ nanosheets, uniformly distributing in amorphous MoO₃ matrix, is obtained from the 1-D SnO₂/MoO₃ heterostructure, which is prepared for the first time by a facile, one-pot hydrothermal method. The precursor 1-D SnO₂/MoO₃ heterostructure is composed of SnO₂ nanosheets, adhering to the two edges of 1-D MoO₃ nanobelt by lattice matching between the (140) plane of orthorhombic MoO₃ and (110) plane of rutile SnO₂. By prolonging the hydrothermal reaction time, the as-obtained 1-D SnO₂/MoO₃ heterostructure is converted to a novel 1-D nanostructure, amorphous MoO₃ that deposits uniformly on the surface of the SnO₂ nanosheets with the preservation of the front SnO₂ 1-D architecture. For optimizing performance, 1-D SnO₂/MoO₃/C nanostructure is obtained by carbon coating on the surface of the novel 1-D nanostructure MoO₃/SnO₂via the pyrolysis of acetylene. Because of the 1-D nanostructure composed of nanosheets and the carbon matrix, the SnO₂/MoO₃/C nanocomposites exhibit an outstanding high-rate cycling performance, delivering a reversible discharge capacity of more than 560 mA h g⁻¹ after 120 cycles at a high current density of 200 mA g⁻¹.