Abstract
In this study, submicron carbon sphere was synthesized by hydrothermal reaction in glucose aqueous solution. The diameter of carbon sphere would reduce to 100 nm as a little amount of ethanol in solution. Carbon sphere would be further carbonized by heat treatment. After the heat treatment, the carbon sphere can be applied to being anode of lithium-ion batteries. It has capacity of 308 mA h g-1 even after 100 charge/discharge cycles at 1 C. In addition, C/Sn composite could be obtained using carbon sphere as a template. SnO2 would growth on the template by hydrothermal reaction of tin dichloride. Subsequently, SnO2 would be reduced to metallic tin by carbothermal reduction. Consequently, we can combine the carbonized of carbon sphere and reduction of SnO2 in one step. Metallic tin would enhance the capacity of carbon sphere, and carbon could be the buffer layer for the large volume change during lithium-ion insertion into metallic tin. This C/Sn composite will further be applied to the anode of high rate lithium-ion batteries.