Characteristics of Sn-Ni alloy powders directly prepared by spray pyrolysis

Abstract

Fine size Sn–Ni alloy powders with spherical shape were directly prepared by spray pyrolysis. The alloy powders prepared at temperatures below 1200 °C had bimodal size distributions of nano- and submicron-sized powders. Nano-sized powders were formed by chemical vapor deposition process from the evaporated Sn component. The powders had main peaks of Sn–Ni alloys irrespective of the preparation temperatures. Ni and Sn components are well dispersed inside the submicron-sized powders. The initial discharge capacity of the Sn–Ni alloy powders prepared at a temperature of 1100 °C was 477 mAh/g. However, the initial discharge capacity of the Sn–Ni alloy powders prepared at temperature of 1000 and 1200 °C temperature were 255 and 411 mAh/g respectively. The Sn–Ni alloy powders prepared at a temperature of 1100 °C had more good cycle performance than those prepared at temperatures of 1000 and 1200 °C.