Porous SnO2 nanocubes with controllable pore volume and their Li storage performance

In order to optimize the cycling performance of porous SnO2 nanomaterials, we designed porous SnO2 nanocubes with controllable pore volume via two strategies by using CaSn(OH)(6) microcubes as templates. The formation mechanism, morphology and microstructure of the as-prepared products were investigated by various techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM and N-2 absorption-desorption analysis. The Li storage performance of the porous SnO2 nanocubes as anode materials for Li ion batteries was also studied. Results show that SnO2 nanocubes with an appropriate pore volume exhibited the best Li storage performance. For example, SnO2 nanocubes prepared by the calcination-dissolution-dissolution strategy with a pore volume of 0.257 cm(3) g(-1) exhibited a capacity retention up to 85.7% after 40 cycles, while lower or higher than this value resulted in rapid capacity depreciation.