Simultaneous Laser Reduction of Sn/Sb Salts and Graphene Formation as Innovative Anode Material for Li‐ and Na‐Ion Batteries

The increasing demand for portable electronics and electric vehicles has made the development of advanced electrochemical energy storage systems essential. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which predominantly use graphite anodes, face limitations in capacity and performance at high current rates. As a result, alternative anode materials such as tin (Sn) and antimony (Sb) have gained attention for both LIBs and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as well, due to their high theoretical capacity. However, their practical application is hindered by significant volume expansion during cycling, leading to electrode degradation. This study presents a novel approach to improve the stability and performance of Sn and Sb anodes by incorporating them into a laser-induced graphene (LIG) matrix. LIG was synthesized via laser ablation of a polyimide precursor mixed with metal-salt precursors, directly onto a copper current collector, enabling the in situ formation of Sn and Sb metallic nanoparticles (NPs) and SnSb alloy NPs, embedded in a few graphene layers. The localized high-temperature generated by the laser facilitated nanoparticle formation while simultaneously creating a protective carbon shell around the NPs, mitigating volume expansion and enhancing electrochemical stability. Electrochemical testing demonstrated that the LIG-metal composites exhibited superior performance compared to bare LIG in both LIB and SIB. LIG-Sn composite achieved the specific capacity of 380 mAh g−1 in LIBs and 155 mAh g−1 in SIBs after 80 and 50 cycles, respectively. These results highlight the potential of LIG-based Sn and Sb composites as scalable, binder-free anode materials for next-generation rechargeable batteries.