Mechanochemical synthesis and electrochemical properties of nanostructured electrode materials for Li ion batteries

We focus on the synthesis by ball milling and on the electrochemical characterization of nanocrystalline bimetallic and composite materials to be employed as anodes in Li ion batteries. Ni₃Sn₄ and Ni₃Sn₂ based compounds were obtained by ball milling of three different Ni–Sn mixtures. The properties of the resulting anodes for Li ion batteries were evaluated as a function of composition. Moreover, a biphasic system is presented, with CoSn₂ and CoSn type structures, arising from the synthesis of the Sn₃₁Co₂₈C₄₁ composition. When cycled in a Li cell, this material showed a high reversible specific capacity, about 450 mA h g⁻¹, and a very good electrochemical and structural stability, making it of interest for application purposes. Contribution to the Fall Meeting of the European Materials Research Society, Symposium D: 9th International Symposium on Electrochemical–Chemical Reactivity of Metastable Materials, Warsaw, 17th–21st September, 2007.