Nanospace-confined formation of flattened Sn sheets in pre-seeded graphenes for lithium ion batteries

Flattened Sn sheets are prepared from the pre-seeded Sn salt in the interlayer nanospace of a graphene membrane, which acts as a template to shape Sn crystals and prevent the aggregation. The sandwich structure clamping Sn sheets accommodates the volume change during charge/discharge. We show that the hybrid possesses excellent rate performance and cycling stability as an anode for lithium ion batteries.