Synthesis of SnO ₂ hierarchical structures assembled from nanosheets and their lithium storage properties

In this work, we have developed a facile hydrothermal method to synthesize various 3D hierarchical structures assembled from 2D SnO ₂ nanosheets. The samples were thoroughly characterized by FESEM/TEM/XRD/BET techniques. Through in-depth investigation of experimental conditions, it is discovered that the oxidation process is crucial for the formation of the nanosheet structure. The electrochemical properties of the sample were subsequently studied by cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge cycling. When compared to SnO2 nanoparticles from a commercial source, the result shows that the as-prepared hierarchical SnO2 nanostructure exhibits much better lithium storage properties with higher reversible capacities and improved cyclic capacity retention for extended cycling.