Unveiling morphology evolution and performance enhancement of tin-doped Co3O4 porous nanoarrays anchored on stainless-steel mesh for advanced lithium-ion battery anodes

The widespread application of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) has driven an increasing demand for advanced anodes with high-energy density and high-power density. Electroactive transition metal oxides (TMOs) are considered as promising candidates due to their high theoretical capacity. However, practical application has been hampered by their low conductivity and poor stability. In this study, tin-doped Co3O4 porous nanoarrays were successfully assembled on stainless steel mesh (SSM) using Co/Sn bimetallic organic frameworks as precursors. The resulting (Co/Sn)3O4@SSM was employed as a free-standing anode for LiBs. The lattice doping with tin atoms significantly enhances the internal conductivity of Co3O4, as confirmed by first-principle calculations. Benefiting from its hybrid advantages, such as a binder-free porous architecture and the improved conductivity, (Co/Sn)3O4@SSM exhibits dramatically enhanced energy storage capability, including high specific capacity, excellent cycling stability, and superior rate performance.