Reticulated carbon nanofiber-encapsulated SnO2 hollow spheres as high performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

A novel anode material comprising SnO₂ hollow spheres encapsulated within carbon nanofibers (SnO₂@CF) is presented for LIBs. The hollow sphere architecture accommodates inward volume changes, while the carbon nanofiber shell mitigates outward volume expansion and enhances electrical conductivity. This unique structure enables SnO₂@CF to achieve superior electrochemical performance, delivering a high reversible capacity of 1304.3 mA h g⁻¹ after 250 cycles at 0.2C and 548.8 mA h g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles at 5C.