A feasibility study on SnO2/NiFe2O4 nanocomposites as anodes for Li ion batteries

Highlights: ► The morphological analysis performed has shown the existence of nanocomposite. ► Sp. capacity after 50 cycles of pure NiFe2O4, 5 and 10 wt.% SnO2 are 450, 750 and 780 mA h/g. ► The results are higher than the theoretical capacity of graphite (374 mA h/g). ► The capacity retention is also found to increase with SnO2 addition in the NiFe2O4. ► Charge and discharge capacities of LiMn2O4 vs. 10 wt.% SnO2/NiFe2O4 are 232 and 138 mA h/g. -- Abstract: The SnO2/NiFe2O4 nanocomposite samples with varying concentration of SnO2 such as 5 wt.% and 10 wt.% were synthesized via urea assisted combustion synthesis. The kinetics of the combustion reactions were studied using thermo gravimetry analysis and from which the compound formation temperature of all the samples were observed to be below 400 °C. From the morphological analysis the grain size of NiFe2O4, 5 wt.% SnO2/NiFe2O4 and 10 wt.% SnO2/NiFe2O4 samples were observed to be around 1.7, 2.3 and 3.5 μm. The chrono potentiometry analyses of the samples were performed against lithium metal electrode. The capacity retention was found to be higher for composite with 10 wt.% SnO2. The discharge capacity of 10 wt.% SnO2 sample with respect to Li metal and LiMn2O4 electrode was observed to be around 980 mA h/g and 138 mA h/g respectively