Simultaneous Laser Reduction of Sn/Sb Salts and Graphene Formation as Innovative Anode Material for Li- and Na-Ion Batteries

The increasing demand for portable electronics and electric vehicles has made the development of advanced electrochemical energy storage systems essential. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which predominantly use graphite anodes, face limitations in capacity and performance at high current rates. As a result, alternative anode materials such as tin (Sn) and antimony (Sb) have gained attention for both LIBs and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as well, due to their high theoretical capacity. However, their practical application is hindered by significant volume expansion during cycling, leading to electrode degradation. This study presents a novel approach to improve the stability and performance of Sn and Sb anodes by incorporating them into a laser-induced graphene (LIG) matrix. LIG was synthesized via laser ablation of a polyimide precursor mixed with metal-salt precursors, directly onto a copper current collector, enabling the in situ formation of Sn and Sb metallic nanoparticles (NPs) and SnSb alloy NPs, embedded in a few graphene layers. The localized high-temperature generated by the laser facilitated nanoparticle formation while simultaneously creating a protective carbon shell around the NPs, mitigating volume expansion and enhancing electrochemical stability. Electrochemical testing demonstrated that the LIG-metal composites exhibited superior performance compared to bare LIG in both LIB and SIB. LIG-Sn composite achieved the specific capacity of 380 mAh g−1 in LIBs and 155 mAh g−1 in SIBs after 80 and 50 cycles, respectively. These results highlight the potential of LIG-based Sn and Sb composites as scalable, binder-free anode materials for next-generation rechargeable batteries.