Intermetallic phases and mixtures of intermetallic phases in the Sn-Mn-C te
rnary system were prepared by mechanical alloying. The reaction of lithium
with these phases was studied using in situ X-ray diffraction and electroch
emical methods. Studies concentrated on Sn2Mn, SnMn1.77, SnMn3, and SnMn3C.
Nanoscale two-phase mixtures of Sn2Mn/SnMn1.77 and Sn2Mn/SnMn3C were also
prepared and studied. When Sn2Mn is mixed with sufficient amounts of a seco
nd phase, electrodes capable of delivering over 200 mAh/g for more than 50
cycles can be prepared. Grain boundary tin atoms in nanostructured SnMn3C a
ppear to be able to react reversibly with lithium for hundreds of cycles. (
C) 2000 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-4651(00)03-042-1. All rights res
erved.