β-SnSb for Sodium Ion Battery Anodes: Phase Transformations Responsible for Enhanced Cycling Stability Revealed by In Situ TEM

Abstract

β-SnSb is known to be a highly stable anode for sodium ion batteries during cycling, but its sodiation–desodiation alloying reactions are poorly understood. Combining in situ TEM with electroanalytical methods, we demonstrate that β-SnSb forms Na3Sb and Na15Sn4 in sequence upon sodiation and re-forms as β-SnSb upon desodiation. The negative enthalpy of mixing for Sn and Sb is sufficient to cause sequentially deposited bilayers of Sn/Sb to transform into β-SnSb, resulting in comparable cycling stability. The good cycling stability of β-SnSb results from the complex two-phase amorphous–nanocrystalline microstructure in the partially charged–discharged states, as well as the intrinsic mechanical toughness of the β phase. Per the in situ TEM results, the sequential phase transformation shows minimal fracturing of the β-SnSb, indicating facile buffering of stresses. Extensively cycled specimens eventually show crystalline Sn phase segregation, which may be the source of the ultimate capacity fade in the alloy and bilayers.