Lithium intercalation in tin oxide

Tetragonal SnO compound was studied as the active electrode material in 'Li thium-ion'-type cell. Structural and Sn-119 Mossbauer properties of SnO are presented. The results concerning X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Sn-11 9 Mossbauer spectroscopy of lithiated crystallised tin oxide SnO between 0 and 2 lithium inserted per formula were reported. During the lithium insert ion a reduction of SnO in beta-Sn and in an inter-metallic tin in strong in teraction with the structural SnO (SnO --> beta-Sn and SnO --> Sn(0)) is ob served. When the cell is recharged, the mechanism is in part reversible wit h the reformation of the SnO but there is also the formation of Sn(IV) (Sn( 0) --> Sn(II) --> Sn(IV)). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserv ed.