Low-cost and highly safe solid-phase sodium ion battery with a Sn–C nanocomposite anode

[Display omitted] •Nanosized Sn particles are embedded in an amorphous carbon host derived from sucrose.•Na3Zr2Si2PO12 ceramic-based hybrid solid electrolyte is prepared for sodium ion battery.•Sn–C-based solid sodium battery show high discharge capacities and Coulombic efficiency. With the use of a conducting ceramic-based solid-phase hybrid electrolyte, the batteries can maintain safe and stable operation during the reversible insertion/extraction of sodium ions by the suppression of sodium dendrites. Here, Sn–C nanocomposites are prepared by a simple one-pot synthesis process, and they have a unique structure in which nanosized Sn particles are embedded in an amorphous carbon host derived from sucrose. The Sn–C nanocomposite is used to fabricate a solid-phase sodium-ion battery with a Na3Zr2Si2PO12 ceramic-based hybrid solid electrolyte. The Sn–C-based solid-phase sodium battery shows high electrochemical performance with a high discharge capacity of 669.9 mA h g−1 at 0.2 C with a Coulombic efficiency close to 100%. The electrochemical alloy mechanism of the Sn–C nanocomposite is investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The good electrochemical performance demonstrates the advantages of using the Na3Zr2Si2PO12 ceramic-based hybrid solid electrolyte and Sn–C nanocomposite in solid-phase sodium ion batteries.