Designing 3D SnS@Cu‐Ni Nanoporous Column Array Electrode for High‐Capacity and High‐Rate Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Abstract Sn‐based materials with high capacity showcase great potential for next‐generation lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Yet, the large volume change and limited ion/electron transfer efficiency of Sn‐based materials upon operation significantly compromises the battery performance. In this study, a unique 3D copper‐nickel nanoporous column array current collector is rationally developed via a facile template‐free galvanostatic electrodeposition method, followed by electrodepositing SnS active material onto it (denoted as 3D SnS@CNCA). Excitingly, the morphology of the 3D SnS@CNCA electrode perfectly inherited the nanoporous column array structure of the 3D current collector, which not only endows the electrode with a large specific surface area to provide more active sites and sufficient ion/electron transport pathways, but also effectively alleviates the volume expansion of SnS upon repeated charge–discharge cycles. Therefore, the binder‐free 3D SnS@CNCA electrode showcases a significantly enhanced Li storage performance, showing a high initial reversible capacity of 1019.7 mAh g −1 with noteworthy cycling stability (a capacity retention rate of 89.4% after 200 cycles). Moreover, the designed electrode also manifests high rate performance with a high capacity of 570.6 mAh g −1 at 4 A g −1 . This work provides a novel design idea for the preparation of high‐performance electrodes beyond LIBs.