Solvent-modulated morphology-controlled synthesis of SnO2 cathodes for enhanced multivalent-ion storage performance
摘要
SnO2 cathode materials with tailored nano-architectures were synthesized via a hydrothermal route to systematically investigate the structure–property relationship governing electrochemical performance in magnesium-ion batteries (MIBs) and hybrid magnesium/lithium-ion batteries (MLIBs). Precise morphological control was achieved by modulating the volumetric ratio of distilled water to ethanol in the solvent system. Characterization revealed that a 1:1 H₂O/EtOH ratio yielded spherical SnO2 nanostructures (denoted NC-SnO2-2) with optimal electrochemical properties. In MLIBs, the NC-SnO2-2 cathode delivered a high initial discharge capacity of 544.1 mAh·g−1 and maintained 178.4 mAh·g−1 after 200 cycles, corresponding to a capacity retention of 32.8%. This performance substantially surpassed that of comparators (NC-SnO2-1: 24.3%; NC-SnO2-3: 8.8%; NC-SnO2-4: 9.7%), demonstrating superior lithium-ion storage kinetics and exceptional cycling stability. Analogous enhancements were observed in MIBs, confirming the universal efficacy of the spherical morphology synthesized at the optimal solvent ratio. This work establishes that spherical SnO2 nano-architectures significantly enhance multivalent-ion storage capabilities, attributable to optimized ion diffusion pathways and structural integrity. The developed synthesis strategy provides a facile, scalable approach for engineering high-performance cathode materials for next-generation hybrid battery systems.