Journal Article
Science, vol. 330, iss. 6010, pp. 1515-1520, 2010
Authors
Jian Yu Huang, Li Zhong, Chong Min Wang, John P. Sullivan, Wu Xu, Li Qiang Zhang, Scott X. Mao, Nicholas S. Hudak, Xiao Hua Liu, Arunkumar Subramanian, Hongyou Fan, Liang Qi, Akihiro Kushima, Ju Li
Abstract
Fragile Tin Oxide Electrodes
While tin oxide has a high energy density, and would thus make an attractive anode material for a Li-ion battery, it undergoes significant volume changes when Li is intercalated. The large strains cause cracking, pulverization, and a resultant loss of electrical conduction.
Huang
et al.
(p.
1515
; see the Perspective by
Chiang
) used in situ transmission electron microscopy on a single tin oxide nanowire to identify the physical changes that occur during intercalation and observed a moving cloud of dislocations that separated the reacted and unreacted sections. Upon completion of the electrochemical charging, the nanowire showed up to 90% elongation and a 35% increase in diameter.
