119Sn Mِssbauer study of LixSn alloys prepared electrochemically

A study by 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy of lithiated tin β-Sn powder is presented for between 0 and 3.4 lithiums inserted per formula and for a thin foil of β-tin with between 0 and 2.8 lithiums inserted. This identifies the different Li–Sn alloys obtained electrochemically. We have identified two different sites. The first site corresponds to a tin with Sn–Sn bonds in a slightly distorted site. The second site is representative of Li–Sn bonds for tin in a more distorted site. In other respects, this study has allowed a better understanding of the complex tin reduction, which occurs during lithium insertion in tin oxide SnO.