Development of high safety, high energy, low cost and long service life Li ion rechargeable batteries is current a tremendous challenge for power battery application. The performance of the battery mainly depends on the nature of anode and cathode materials.Tin-based alloy is an industrially promising anode material for lithium ion batteries due to its high energy capacity and safety characteristics. In this review, the recent progress in Sn-based alloy anode materials for lithium ion batteries are reviewed.The different preparation methods of Sn-based alloy anodes are summarized. This review focuses on the problems in electrochemical properties of the Sn-based alloy anode and their causes, including the effect of loss of active material, SEI film and oxide film formation, aggregation of alloy particles and generation of dead lithium in the process of the intercalation of lithium ions on the charge and discharge performance of the alloy anode. The research trends in improving the electrochemical performance of the Sn-based alloy anode are prospected. Contents 1 Introduction
2 Preparation methods of Sn-based alloy anodes
2.1 Chemical reduction method
2.2 High energy ball milling method
2.3 Electro-deposition method
2.4 Hydrothermal method
2.5 Magnetron sputter plating method
2.6 Plasma reaction method
3 Cause of irreversible capacity and cyclic capacity fade
3.1 Loss of active material in Sn-based alloy anodes
3.2 SEI film and oxide film formation on surface of grain boundary
3.3 Aggregation of alloy particles
3.4 Generation of dead lithium
4 Approaches for improving anode performance
4.1 Multiphase matrix composites
4.2 Porous structure electrodes
4.3 Nano-structure electrodes
4.4 Preparation of thin film
5 Conclusions and outlook