Facile synthesis of CTAB assisted hierarchical-structure TiO₂@SnO₂ for lithium storage

Tin oxide (SnO₂) with high specific capacity and excellent safety performance has become potential candidate for next generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the practical application of SnO₂ is hindered by large volume change and particle aggregation. Herein, a type of three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous titanium-based microclews composed of one-dimensional (1D) titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoribbons and SnO₂ nanoparicles, is synthesized for the first time with the assistance of cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromidewere (CTAB). SnO₂ nanoparticles distribute uniformly on the nanoribbons, and CTAB as growth controller plays a key role in the formation of the uniform and stable hierarchical-structure. The as-synthesized CTAB assisted hierarchical-structure TiO₂@SnO₂ microclews (CA–TiO₂@SnO₂ MCs) elelctrode demonstrates outstanding ionic conductivity due to the structure assisting efficient contact between electrode and electrolyte, with a remarkable discharge capacity of 448.3 mAh g⁻¹ after cycling for 500 times at a current density of 500 mA g⁻¹, and a capacity retention of 558.8 mAh g⁻¹ at 200 mA g⁻¹ after 400 cycles in LIBs.