Green strategy for embedding SnO2/Sn within carbon plates to achieve improved cyclic stability of lithium storage

•A SnO2-based composite was fabricated via a relatively green and facile approach.•The composite was composed of clustered SnO2/Sn nanoparticles embedded within 2D carbon plates.•This composite exhibited improved cycling life as a lithium-ion battery anode.•The effect of the architecture on electrochemical performance of this composite was studied. [Display omitted] Preparing SnO2/carbon (SnO2/C) composites is an efficient strategy to enhance the electrochemical performance of the SnO2-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the preparation process of the common SnO2/C composites is related to use of large quantities of harmful solvents or reagents as well as production of contaminative organic and inorganic waste liquid, which is not favorable to sustainable development of thus SnO2-based anodes. It is indicated that preparing high-performance SnO2-based anodes through a green and facile preparation process is significantly important as well as valuable. Herein, a relatively green, facile and scalable approach is demonstrated to prepare SnO2 (containing 6 wt% Sn)/C composite for LIB anodes. Material characterization results show that the as-prepared composite consists of clustered SnO2/Sn nanoparticles embedded within 2D carbon plates. More importantly, the well-designed architecture offers this composite advantage in electrochemical performance. Consequently, this composite displays high capacities of 814 and 561 mAh g−1 after 400 and 800 cycles at 200 and even 1000 mA g−1, respectively, showing outstanding electrochemical performance for being a LIB anode.