One-step synthesis of SnO ₂-reduced graphene oxide-carbon nanotube composites via microwave assistance for lithium ion batteries

A facile one-step microwave-assisted method was developed to fabricate SnO ₂-reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-carbon nanotube (CNT) composites. The as-prepared composites were applied as anode materials for lithium ion batteries and it is found that RGO and CNTs play an important role in the enhancement of the electrochemical performance due to a synergistic effect of SnO ₂, RGO and CNTs, in which RGO sheets support SnO ₂ nanoparticles and CNTs act as wires conductively connecting the large RGO sheets together. A SnO ₂-RGO-CNT composite with 60 wt.% SnO ₂ achieves a maximum capacity of 502 mA h g ^-1 after 50 cycles at 100 mA g ^-1 and even at a high current density of 1000 mA g ^-1, a capacity of 344 mA h g ^-1 is maintained.