Self-powered photodetectors and bendable electronics represent two popular research areas that aim to benefit next-generation devices. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have been intensively studied during the past decade, with major focus on the anode materials. SnO₂ was identified as a promising candidate with a high reversible capacity and moderate operating voltage. However, practical applications were hampered by a low initial Coulombic efficiency and cycling instability.

Di Chen and Guozhen Shen, and co-workers identified SnO₂@TiO₂ heterostructures as superior alternatives to pure SnO₂, with high initial Coulombic efficiency, good reversible capacity, and excellent stability over 100 cycles. This composite material, grown on carbon cloth, can then be used as a binder-free anode in the assembly of fully flexible batteries.

The SnO₂@TiO₂ nanostructures exhibit enhanced electron lifetimes because of the good match of the band gap between the SnO₂ and TiO₂ materials. Therefore, the researchers from Wuhan and Beijing Universities, China, were able to assemble self-powered UV photodetectors with SnO₂@TiO₂ bound to fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) as the photoanode.

The combination of these desirable properties will greatly influence the development of dye-sensitized solar cells, photocatalysts, supercapacitors, and the development of photodetectors for applications in environmental and biological research, optical communication, sensing, and missile-launch detection.

• SnO₂@TiO₂ Heterojunction Nanostructures for Lithium-Ion Batteries and Self-Powered UV Photodetectors with Improved Performances,
  Xiaojuan Hou, Xianfu Wang, Bin Liu, Qiufan Wang, Zhuoran Wang, Di Chen, Guozhen Shen,
  ChemElectroChem 2013.
  DOI: 10.1002/celc.201300053