Phosphorus Enhanced Intermolecular Interactions of SnO₂ and Graphene as an Ultrastable Lithium Battery Anode

SnO₂ suffers from fast capacity fading in lithium-ion batteries due to large volume expansion as well as unstable solid electrolyte interphase. Herein, the design and synthesis of phosphorus bridging SnO₂ and graphene through covalent bonding are demonstrated to achieve a robust structure. In this unique structure, the phosphorus is able to covalently "bridge" graphene and tin oxide nanocrystal through PC and SnOP bonding, respectively, and act as a buffer layer to keep the structure stable during charging-discharging. As a result, when applied as a lithium battery anode, SnO₂ @P@GO shows very stable performance and retains 95% of 2nd capacity onward after 700 cycles. Such unique structural design opens up new avenues for the rational design of other high-capacity materials for lithium battery, and as a proof-of-concept, creates new opportunities in the synthesis of advanced functional materials for high-performance energy storage devices.