Direct electrodeposition of ionic liquid-based template-free SnCo alloy nanowires as an anode for Li-ion batteries

SnCo alloy nanowires were successfully electrodeposited from SnCl₂-CoCl₂-1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMIC) ionic liquid without a template. The nanowires were obtained from the molar ratio of 5:40:60 for SnCl₂:CoCl₂:EMIC at -0.55 V and showed a minimum diameter of about 50 nm and lengths of over 20 μm. The as-fabricated SnCo nanowires were about 70 nm in diameter and featured a Sn/Co weight ratio of 3.85:1, when used as an anode for a Li-ion battery, they presented respective specific capacities of 687 and 678 mAh·g^-1 after the first charge and discharge cycle and maintained capacities of about 654 mAh·g^-1 after 60 cycles and 539 mAh·g^-1 after 80 cycles at a current density of 300 mA·g^-1. Both the nanowire structure and presence of elemental Co helped buffer large volume changes in the Sn anode during charging and discharging to a certain extent, thereby improving the cycling performance of the Sn anode.