Microwave hydrothermal synthesis and electrochemical characterization of NiMoO4 nanosheets/SnO2 nanospheres/rGO nanocomposite as high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries

Hybrid ultrathin NiMoO4 nanosheets/SnO2 nanospheres/rGO sheets nanocomposite developed via a versatile fast microwave-assisted hydrothermal method was investigated as feasible anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Synthesized NiMoO4/SnO2/rGO phase pure nanocomposite was confirmed by XRD, Raman, FESEM-EDX, XPS and TEM analysis. Lithium ion batteries fabricated using the newly developed hybrid ultrathin NiMoO4/SnO2/rGO nanocomposite as an anode material exhibit a high initial discharge capacity of 2128 mAh g−1 and at the 100th cycle is 620 mAh g−1 at a current density of 500 mA g−1. Further, NiMoO4/SnO2/rGO nanocomposite exhibits excellent rate capability and much better capacity of 498 mAh g−1 after the 500th cycle at a higher current density of 1000 mA g−1 with a coulombic efficiency of ∼100%. The NiMoO4/SnO2/rGO nanocomposite shows better electrochemical performance than pure NiMoO4 nanosheets and NiMoO4/SnO2 nanocomposite and it is attributed to the synergetic effect of NiMoO4 nanosheets and SnO2 nanospheres dispersed on rGO sheets, which improves the surface area, electronic conductivity, low particle size and maintains structural integrity.