Master sintering curve for Gd-doped CeO<Subscript>2</Subscript> solid electrolytes

The sintering behavior of gadolinia-doped ceria powders was studied by the master sintering curve (MSC). Dilatometric analyses of powders produced by a soft chemical method were performed to provide the experimental data set for the construction of the MSC. The assumed model provided good fittings of the MSC and the activation energy for the sintering of Ce_1−x Gd _x O_3−δ, with x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 were found to be in the 218–325 KJ/mol range, depending on the dopant content. The results supported that both the nanometric size of the particles and the difference in ionic radii between Gd³⁺ and Ce⁴⁺ affects the sintering of Gd-doped CeO₂.     

Preparation of Ca<Subscript>3</Subscript>Co<Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>9</Subscript> by polyacrylamide gel processing and its thermoelectric properties

Ca₃Co₄O₉ powder was prepared by a polyacrylamide gel route in this paper. The effect of the processing on microstructure and thermoelectric properties of Ca₃Co₄O₉ ceramics via spark plasma sintering were investigated. Electrical measurement shows that the Seebeck coefficient and conductivity are 170 μV/K and 128 S/cm, respectively, at 700 °C, yielding a power factor value of 3.70 × 10⁻⁴ W m⁻¹ K⁻² at 700 °C, which is larger than that of Ca₃Co₄O₉ ceramics via solid-state reaction processing. The polyacrylamide gel processing is a fast, cheap, reproducible and easily scaled up chemical route to improve the thermoelectric properties of Ca₃Co₄O₉ ceramics by preparing the homogeneous and pure Ca₃Co₄O₉ phase.     

Microstructure,dielectric and piezoelectric properties of (Pb1−xSrx)Nb1.96Ti0.05O6 ceramics

(Pb_1−xSr_x)Nb_1.96Ti_0.05O₆ with 2 wt% excess PbO (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08) piezoelectric ceramics with high Curie temperature were fabricated via the conventional solid state reaction method. Effects of Sr²⁺ amount on crystallite structure, microstructure, dielectric and piezoelectric properties were studied. The substitution of Sr²⁺ ions for Pb²⁺ ions is effective to lower sintering temperatures. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that all ceramics form the single orthorhombic ferroelectric phase. The doping of Sr²⁺ ions facilitates improving densification of the ceramics. Grain size and lattice parameters of the ceramics vary with the change of the Sr²⁺ contents. Both Curie temperature and maximum dielectric constant change with increasing the Sr²⁺ amounts. The dielectric constant data were also studied using the Curie–Weiss law and modified Curie–Weiss law. The ceramic with x = 0.04 possesses excellent piezoelectric and dielectric properties, presenting a high potential to be used in high-temperature applications as piezoelectric transducers.     

Production of bscco bulk high <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript>c</Subscript> superconductors by sol-gel method and their characterization by ftir and XRD techniques

The production of bulk high T _c superconducting phase (2223) by EDTA-gel (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) techniques has been investigated. It is shown that close control of pH is necessary for the production of a well-complexed precursor which allows subsequent decomposition in two stages at 300 and 800°C. The problem of carbonate formation was investigated experimentally and solved. Precursors are characterised by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the sintering behaviour was monitored by dilatometry. At least three different phases Bi₂Sr₂Ca_x−1Cu_xO_8+y (BSCCO); where x=1, 2, 3 were identified within superconducting pellets using XRD, named as Bi₂Sr₂CuO₇ (2201), Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₉ (2212) and Bi₂Sr₂Ca₃O₁₀ (2223). The superconducting properties of the sintered samples were studied by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Transition to a superconducting state around 80 K appeared in samples (sintered at 845°C) containing the Bi₂Sr₂Ca₁Cu₂O_y (2212) phase. Liquid phase sintering of the samples aided the formation of Bi₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_x (2223) phase at high temperature (860°C), which showed a superconducting transition temperature of 108 K.     

Mixed conductivity and stability of A-site-deficient Sr(Fe,Ti)O<Subscript>3–δ</Subscript> perovskites

Deficiency in the A sublattice of perovskite-type Sr_{1– y} Fe_0.8Ti_0.2O_3–δ (y=0–0.06) leads to suppression of oxygen-vacancy ordering and to increasing oxygen ionic conductivity, unit cell volume, thermal expansion, and stability in CO₂-containing atmospheres. The total electrical conductivity, predominantly p-type electronic in air, decreases with increasing A-site deficiency at 300–700 K and is essentially independent of the cation vacancy concentration at higher temperatures. Oxygen ion transference numbers for Sr_{1– y} Fe_0.8Ti_0.2O_3–δ in air, estimated from the faradaic efficiency and oxygen permeation data, vary in the range from 0.002 to 0.015 at 1073–1223 K, increasing with temperature. The maximum ionic conductivity was observed for Sr_0.97Fe_0.8Ti_0.2O_3–δ ceramics. In the system Sr_0.97Fe_{1– x} Ti _x O_3–δ (x=0.1–0.6), thermal expansion and electron-hole conductivity both decrease with x. Moderate additions of titanium (up to 20%) in Sr_0.97(Fe,Ti)O_3–δ result in higher ionic conductivity and lower activation energy for ionic transport, owing to disordering in the oxygen sublattice; further doping decreases the ionic conduction. It was shown that time degradation of the oxygen permeability, characteristic of Sr(Fe,Ti)O_3–δ membranes and resulting from partial ordering processes, can be reduced by cycling of the oxygen pressure at the membrane permeate side. Thermal expansion coefficients of Sr_{1– y} Ti_{1– x} Fe _x O_3–δ (x=0.10–0.60, y=0–0.06) in air are in the range (11.7–16.5)×10^–6 K^–1 at 350–750 K and (16.6–31.1)×10^–6 K^–1 at 750–1050 K. Electronic Publication     

Tysonite-type solid solutions in the BiF<Subscript>3</Subscript>-BiOF-BaF<Subscript>2</Subscript> system: Polymorphism and anionic conductivity

Tysonite solid solutions Bi_1−x Ba _x O _y F_3−x−2y in the BiF₃-BiOF-BaF₂ system were obtained by solid-phase synthesis in sealed copper tubes in an argon atmosphere at 873 K with subsequent quenching. The solid solutions were studied by X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction, and impedance spectroscopy. On the basis of X-ray powder diffraction data, the homogeneity ranges of the tysonite solid solutions were determined and the scheme of their location in the BiF₃-BiOF-BaF₂ system at 873 K was suggested. Aliovalent substitutions in both the cation and anion sublattices Ba²⁺ → Bi³⁺ and O²⁻ → F⁻ made it possible to vary the concentration of anion vacancies. It was found that, at a high concentration of anion defects at 873 K, the hexagonal tysonite modification with space group P6₃/mmc is stable. With a decrease in the defect concentration, the trigonal tysonite modification with space group $ P\bar 3c1 $ P\bar 3c1 becomes stable. An ordered monoclinic tysonite-type modification BiO _y F_{3 − 2y} (0.13 < y < 0.23) was revealed. For the homogeneity ranges of all tysonite phases, dependences of the unit cell parameters and conductivity on the composition along the sections with a constant barium or oxygen content were reported. The most probable location of oxygen anions and anion vacancies in the tysonite structure is discussed.     

Cation distribution and interatomic interactions in oxides with heterovalent isomorphism: XII. Gd2Sr1? x Ca x Al2O7 solid solutions

The area of existence of Gd₂Sr_1−x Ca _x Al₂O₇ solid solutions at x ≤ 0.5 was determined by the X-ray phase analysis. It was found by full-profile X-ray structural analysis that, in contrast to La₂Sr_1−x Ca _x Al₂O₇ solid solutions, the Ca²⁺ cations occupy not only AO₉ nine-vertex fragments, but also AO₁₂ oxygen cubooctahedra. Full ordering of Sr²⁺ cations in the perovskite layer is observed at the calcium content x 0.5. Original Russian Text ? I.A. Zvereva, A.G. Cherepova, Yu.E. Smirnov, 2007, published in Zhurnal Obshchei Khimii, 2007, Vol. 77, No. 4, pp. 557–563. For communication XI, see [1].     

Synthesis of electrospun BaSrTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript>/PVP nanofibers

Ba_1−x Sr _x TiO₃(x = 0–0.5, BST) nanofibers with diameters of 150–210 nm were prepared by using electrospun BST/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) composite fibers by calcination for 2 h at temperatures in the range of 650–800 °C in air. The morphology and crystal structure of calcined BST/PVP nanofibers were characterized as functions of calcination temperature and Sr content with an aid of XRD, FT-IR, and TEM. Although several unknown XRD peaks were detected when the fibers were calcined at temperatures less than 750 °C, they disappeared with increasing the temperature (above 750 °C) due to its thermal decomposition and complete reaction in the formation of BST. In addition, the FT-IR studies of BST/PVP fibers revealed that the intensities of the O–H stretching vibration bands (at 3430 and 1425 cm⁻¹) became weaker with increasing the calcination temperature and a broad band at 540 cm⁻¹, Ti–O vibration, appeared sharper and narrower after calcination above 750 °C due to the formation of metal oxide bonds. However, no effect of Sr content on the crystal structure of the composites was detected.     

Thermal analysis of doped Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>

New environmentally inorganic pigments based on Bi₂O₃ doped by metal ions, such as Zr⁴⁺ and Dy³⁺ have been developed and characterized using the methods thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, and spectral reflectance data. The compounds having formula Bi_2−x Dy _x/2Zr_3x/8O₃ (x = 0.2, 0.6, 1.0, and 1.2) were prepared by the solid state reaction. Methods of thermal analysis were used for determination of the temperature region of the pigment formation and thermal stability of compounds. The incorporation of doped ions in Bi₂O₃ changes the color from yellow to orange and also contributes to a growth of their thermal stability. This property gives a direction for coloring ceramic glazes.     

Synthesis and microwave dielectric properties of Ca<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>La<Subscript>0.267</Subscript>TiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> nanocrystalline powders by sol–gel method

Ca_0.6La_0.267TiO₃ nanocrystalline powders were successfully synthesized by the sol–gel method using PEG1000 as a dispersant in this study. The sinterability of the powders and the microwave dielectric properties of the ceramics were also investigated. The XRD diffraction result showed that pure Ca_0.6La_0.267TiO₃ powder with orthorhombic perovskite structure could be synthesized at 600 °C for 2 h without any detectable intermediate phase. The average grain size of the as-synthesized powder was as low as 35 nm. Compared with Ca_0.6La_0.267TiO₃ ceramics fabricated by conventional solid-state process, the bulk materials prepared by sintering as-prepared nanopowders performed better in densification and microwave dielectric properties. The ceramics sintered at 1,300 °C exhibited a higher relative density of 98.3% combined with a dielectric constant (ε _r ) of 120.3, a quality factor (Q × f) of 23,550 GHz and a temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τ _f ) of +220.7 ppm/°C, respectively.     

Effect of crystallographic structure on electrical and mechanical characteristics of Sm<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-Doped CeO<Subscript>2</Subscript> films

Electrical conductivity, dielectric permittivity and mechanical hardness of the polycrystalline CeO₂ + xSm₂O₃ (x = 0, 10.9–15.9 mol %) films prepared by Electron Beam Physical Vapour Deposition (EB-PVD) and Ionic Beam Assisted Deposition, (IBAD), techniques were investigated in dependence on their structure and microstructure influenced by the deposition conditions, namely composition, deposition temperature and Ar⁺ ion bombardment. The electrical conductivity of doped ceria prepared without Ar⁺ ion bombardment and investigated by the impedance spectroscopy, IS, was found to be predominantly ionic one under the oxidizing atmosphere/low-temperature conditions and the higher amounts of Sm₂O₃ (>10 mol %) used. The bulk conductivity as a part of total measured conductivity was a subject of interest because the grain boundary conductivity was found to be ∼3 orders of magnitude lower than the corresponding bulk conductivity. Ar⁺ ion bombardment acted as a reducer (Ce⁴⁺ → Ce³⁺) resulting in the development of electronic conductivity. Dielectric permittivity determined from the bulk parallel capacitance measured at room temperature and the frequency of 1 MHz, similarly as the mechanical hardness measured by indentation (classical Vickers and Depth Sensing Indentation-DSI) techniques were also found to be dependent on the deposition conditions. The approximative value of hardness for the investigated films deposited on the substrate was estimated using a simple phenomenological model described by the power function HV = HV ₀ + aP ^b and compared with the so-called apparent hardness (substrate + investigated film) determined by the classical Vickers formula. Results obtained are analyzed and discussed.     

Effect of heat treatment on particle growth and magnetic properties of electrospun Sr<Subscript>0.8</Subscript>La<Subscript>0.2</Subscript>Zn<Subscript>0.2</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>11.8</Subscript>O<Subscript>19</Subscript> nanofibers

Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) composite fiber precursors were prepared by the sol–gel assisted electrospinning. Subsequently, the M-type ferrite Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉ nanofibers with diameters about 120 nm were obtained by calcination of these precursors at different heat treatment conditions. The precursor and resultant Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉ nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer and vibrating sample magnetometer. With the calcination temperature increased up to 1,000 °C for 2 h or the holding time prolonged to 12 h at 900 °C, the Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉ particles gradually grow into a hexagonal elongated plate-like morphology due to the dimensional control along the nanofiber length. These elongated plate-like particles will be linked one by one to form the nanofiber with a necklace-like morphology. The magnetic properties of the Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉ nanofibers are closely related to grain sizes, impurities and defects in the ferrite, which are influenced by the calcination temperature, holding time and heating rate. After calcined at 900 °C for 12 h with a heating rate of 3 °C/min, the optimized magnetic properties are achieved with the specific saturation magnetization 75.0 A m² kg⁻¹ and coercivity 426.3 kA m⁻¹ for the Sr_0.8La_0.2Zn_0.2Fe_11.8O₁₉ nanofibers.     

Effect of metal substitution for cobalt on the oxygen adsorption properties of YBaCo<Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript>

YBaCo₄O₇ compound is capable to intake and release a large amount of oxygen in the temperature range of 200–400°C. In the present study, the effect of Zn, Ga and Fe substitution for Co on the oxygen adsorption/desorption properties of YBaCo₄O₇ were investigated by thermogravimetry (TG) method. Due to fixed oxidation state of Zn2+ ions, the substitution of Zn²⁺ for Co²⁺ suppresses the oxygen adsorption of YBaCo_4−xZn_xO₇. The substitution of Ga³⁺ for Co³⁺ also decreases the oxygen absorption capacity of YBaCo_4−xGa_xO₇. This can be explained by the strong affinity of Ga³⁺ ions towards the GaO₄ tetrahedron. Compared with Zn- and Ga-substituted samples, the drop of oxygen adsorption capacity is smallest for Fe-substituted samples because of the similar changeability of oxidation states of Co and Fe ions.     

A study of the perovskite solid solution series LaxSr1−xRuO3 and LaxCa1−xRuO3 by ruthenium-99 Mössbauer spectroscopy

The magnetic, electronic, and structural properties of the solid solutions La_xSr_1−xRuO₃ and La_xCa_1−xRuO₃ have been studied by ⁹⁹Ru Mössbauer spectroscopy and other techniques. The La_xCa_1−xRuO₃ phases are reported for the first time and have been shown by powder X-ray diffraction measurements to be orthorhombically distorted perovskites. Electrical resistivity measurements on compacted powders show that all the phases are metallic with p 10⁻³, ohm-cm. Progressive substitution of Sr²⁺ by La³⁺ in ferromagnetic SrRuO₃ leads to a rapid collapse of the magnetic hyper-fine splitting at 4.2°K. For x = 0.25 some ruthenium ions still experience a magnetic field but for 0.4 x 0.75 only single, narrow resonance lines are observed, consistent both with the complete removal of the ferromagnetism and with the presence of an averaged ruthenium oxidation state in each phase, i.e., La_x³⁺Sr_1−x²⁺Ru^(4−x)+O₃ rather than La_x³⁺Sr_1−x²⁺Ru_x³⁺Ru_1−x⁴⁺O₃. LaRuO₃ and CaRuO₃ both give essentially single-line spectra at 4.2°K, indicating that the ruthenium ions in these oxides are not involved in long-range antiferromagnetic order but are paramagnetic. The solid solutions La_xCa_1−xRuO₃ (0 < x 0.6) give sharp symmetrical singlets with chemical isomer shifts (relative to the Ru metal) which move progressively from the value characteristic of Ru⁴⁺ (−0.303 mm sec⁻¹) toward the value for Ru³⁺ (−0.557 mm sec⁻¹), consistent with the presence of intermediate ruthenium oxidation states in these phases also.     

Physicochemical properties of non-stoichiometric oxides

One of the most important challenges with solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) is to find cathode materials with high enough catalytic activity for the dissociation of the molecular oxygen. Oxide mixed conductors with the perovskite structure (ABO₃) and high Co content in the B site have been extensively studied to be used as cathode in SOFC. This is the second part of a review of high temperature properties of two mixed conductors systems. The first part was focused on the n = 2 Sr₃FeMO_6+δ (M = Fe, Co, Ni) Rudlesdden Popper phases, while in this paper we discuss the thermodynamic and transport properties of the perovskite solid solution Sr_1−x La _x Fe_0.2Co_0.8O_3−δ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) in the temperature range 773 ≤ T ≤ 1173 K. In particular, the interest has been focused on the x = 0 sample, which exhibits large ionic conductivity values (σ_i ~1 S cm⁻¹), but suffers a structural transformation from cubic to orthorhombic symmetry because the ordering of the oxygen vacancies when the oxygen partial pressure decreases. Measurements of the oxygen chemical potential ( m_\textO2 \mu_{{{\text{O}}_{2} }} ) as function of oxygen content and temperature, coupled with high temperature X-ray diffraction data, permitted us to broaden the knowledge of the T–δ–p(O₂) phase diagram for the x = 0 sample. In addition, we have investigated the effects of the La incorporation on the stability range of the cubic phases of the Sr_1−x La _x Fe_0.2Co_0.8O_3−δ solid solution.     

Extraction and <Emphasis Type="Italic">ab initio</Emphasis> calculation studies on the complexation of Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript> with valinomycin

From extraction experiments and γ-activity measurements, the exchange extraction constant corresponding to the equilibrium Ca²⁺ (aq)+1·Sr²⁺ (nb) ⇆ 1·Ca²⁺ (nb) + Sr²⁺ (aq) taking place in the two-phase water-nitrobenzene system (1 = valinomycin; aq = aqueous phase, nb = nitrobenzene phase) was evaluated as log K _ex (Ca²⁺, 1·Sr²⁺) = 2.4±0.1. Further, the stability constant of the valinomycin-calcium complex (abbrev. 1·Ca²⁺) in nitrobenzene saturated with water was calculated for a temperature of 25 °C: log β _nb (1·Ca²⁺) = 8.3±0.1. By using quantum mechanical DFT calculations, the most probable structure of the 1·Ca²⁺·2H₂O complex species was predicted. In this complex, the “central” Ca²⁺ cation is bound by strong bonds to two oxygen atoms of the respective water molecules and to four ester carbonyl oxygens of the parent valinomycin ligand 1. Finally, the calculated binding energy of the considered complex 1·Ca²⁺·2H₂O is −319.2 kcal/mol, which confirms the relatively high stability of this cationic complex species.     

Synthesis and magnetic properties of a new layered oxide La<Subscript>1.5</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>1.5</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>1.25</Subscript>Ni<Subscript>0.75</Subscript>O<Subscript>6.67</Subscript>

A new oxide phase La_1.5Sr_1.5 Mn_1.25Ni_0.75O_{6.67 ± 0.05}, a member of the A_{n + 1} BnO_3n+1(n=2) Rad-dlesden—Popper homologue series, was synthesized, and its structure and magnetic properties characterized. Magnetic anomalies associated with the competition between antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic orders are observed in the range of the temperatures studied (2-400 K). The ESR spectra of the compound feature the constriction of a magnetic signal and a shift toward g(Mn⁴⁺).     

Investigation in SrTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript>-CaTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript>-PbTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> ternary thin films by dielectric proprieties and Raman spectroscopy

Dielectric and Raman scattering experiments were performed on polycrystalline Pb_1−x−yCa_xSr_yTiO₃ thin films as a function of temperature. Temperature-dependent dielectric measurements revealed a decreasing ferroelectric-to-paraelectric phase transition temperature and peak dielectric permittivity showed a broad phase transition near room temperature with increasing levels of CaO₁₂ and SrO₁₂ clusters. Therefore, for higher levels of substitution, the possible random position of the CaO₁₂ and SrO₁₂ clusters leads to a diffuse state. At 100 kHz, the ferroelectric-to-paraelectric phase transition temperatures were 633, 495 and 206 K for PCST90 (Pb_0.90Ca_0.05Sr_0.05TiO₃), PCST70 (Pb_0.70Ca_0.15Sr_0.15TiO₃) and PCST30 (Pb_0.30Ca_0.35Sr_0.35TiO₃) thin films, respectively. The evolution of the Raman spectra was also studied as a function of temperature. The temperature dependence of the E(1TO) soft mode frequencies was used to characterize the phase transition. Raman peaks were observed above the ferroelectric-to-paraelectric phase transition temperature, although all optical modes should be inactive in Raman scattering. The origin of these modes was interpreted as a breakdown of the local cubic symmetry by the random distribution of CaO₁₂ and SrO₁₂ clusters.     

Preparation and electrical properties of Nd and Mn co-doped Bi<Subscript>4</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript> thin films

Ferroelectric thin films of Nd and Mn co-doped bismuth titanate, Bi_3.15Nd_0.85Ti_3−x Mn _x O₁₂ (BNTM) (x = 0–0.1), were fabricated on Pt/TiO₂/SiO₂/Si(100) substrates by a sol–gel technique. The BNTM films had a polycrystalline perovskite structure and uniform and dense surface morphologies. A lattice distortion was observed in the BNTM films due to Mn ion doping. The ferroelectric measurement of the films indicated that the values of coercive field (E _c ) decreased gradually with the increase of the Mn content (x), however, the remanent polarization (P _r ) increase firstly and then decrease with the increase of x. The sample with x = 0.05 had optimum electrical properties and a maximum 2P _r value. The 2P _r and 2E _c values of the film at a maximum applied electric field of 400 kV/cm were 38.3 μC/cm² and 180 kV/cm, respectively. Moreover, this BNTM capacitors did not show fatigue behaviors after 1.0 × 10¹⁰ switching cycles at a frequency of 1 MHz, suggesting a fatigue-free character. The main reason for the increase of the 2P _r and the decrease of the 2E _c might be attributed to the lattice distortion in BNTM films due to Mn ion doping.     

Nano-composites SnO(VO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>) as anodes for lithium ion batteries

Nano-composites of SnO(V₂O₃) _x (x = 0, 0.25, and 0.5) and SnO(VO)_0.5 are prepared from SnO and V₂O₃/VO by high-energy ball milling (HEB) and are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques. Interestingly, SnO and SnO(VO)_0.5 are unstable to HEB and disproportionate to Sn and SnO₂, whereas HEB of SnO(V₂O₃) _x gives rise to SnO₂.VO _x . Galvanostatic cycling of the phases is carried out at 60 mA g⁻¹ (0.12 C) in the voltage range 0.005–0.8 V vs. Li. The nano-SnO(V₂O₃)_0.5 showed a first-charge capacity of 435 (±5) mAh g⁻¹ which stabilized to 380 (±5) mAh g⁻¹ with no noticeable fading in the range of 10–60 cycles. Under similar cycling conditions, nano-SnO (x = 0), nano-SnO(V₂O₃)_0.25, and nano-SnO(VO)_0.5 showed initial reversible capacities between 630 and 390 (±5) mAh g⁻¹. Between 10 and 50 cycles, nano-SnO showed a capacity fade as high as 59%, whereas the above two VO _x -containing composites showed capacity fade ranging from 10% to 28%. In all the nano-composites, the average discharge potential is 0.2–0.3 V and average charge potential is 0.5–0.6 V vs. Li, and the coulombic efficiency is 96–98% after 10 cycles. The observed galvanostatic cycling, cyclic voltammetry, and ex situ XRD data are interpreted in terms of the alloying–de-alloying reaction of Sn in the nano-composite “Sn-VO _x -Li₂O” with VO _x acting as an electronically conducting matrix.