ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
5 years ago

In Situ Atomic Force Microscopic Studies of Single Tin Nanoparticle: Sodiation and Desodiation in Liquid Electrolyte

In Situ Atomic Force Microscopic Studies of Single Tin Nanoparticle: Sodiation and Desodiation in Liquid Electrolyte
Fangyi Cheng, Zhanliang Tao, Qing Zhao, Jun Chen, Chengcheng Chen, Chenbo Zhu, Wei Xie, Mo Han
Probing electrodes at a nanometer scale is challenging but desirable to reveal the structural evolution of materials in electrochemical reactions. Herein, we present an atomic force microscopic method for an in situ analysis of a single Sn nanoparticle during sodiation and desodiation, which is conducted in an aprotic liquid electrolyte akin to a real electrochemical environment of the Na-ion cells. The morphological evolution of different-sized single Sn nanoparticle is visualized during the charge/discharge cycles by using a homemade planar electrode. All of the Sn nanoparticles exhibit a dramatic initial volume expansion of about 420% after sodiation to Na15Sn4. Interestingly, we find that the smaller Sn nanoparticles show a lower rate of irreversible volume change and a better shape maintenance than the larger ones after desodiation. This finding suggests the importance of downsizing in improving the mechanical stability and the cycling performance of the Sn-based anodes in sodium-ion batteries.

Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsami.7b08870

DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b08870

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