New Porous Nanocomposite Materials for Electrochemical Power Sources

Intermetallic (Cu-Sn) nanoparticles are synthesized through a borohydride reduction with NaBH4 in a mixture of aqueous solutions of CuCl2.2H2O and SnCl2.2H2O at mass ratio Cu:Sn = 3:2 applying a template technique with a support such as carbon foam. The ratio is chosen in accordance with the Cu-Sn binary system phase diagram. The reductive precipitation is carried out at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Porous nanocomposites are obtained and studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The electrochemical behavior of the synthesized Cu-Sn alloy and the C-based composites (С-foam/Cu-Sn alloy) as positive electrodes is also investigated in a Li-ion battery) using a computer controlled laboratory cycling equipment BA500 Series Battery Analyzer.