Chemical reduction of nano-scale Cu2Sb powders as anode materials for Li-ion batteries

A novel process was attempted to prepare nano-scale Cu₂Sb alloy powders as anode materials for Li-ion batteries. The preparation started with chemical reduction of Cu₂Sb in an aqueous solution with sodium citrate as a complexing agent and KBH₄ as a reducer. The analysis of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction showed that as-prepared nano-scale Cu₂Sb powders presented tetragonal structure with particle size of 50-70 nm. Cycling between 0 and 1.2 V, the nano-scale Cu₂Sb alloy showed good cyclability with a stable specific capacity of 200 mAh g⁻¹ within 25 cycles.