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Enhanced Performance of “Flower‐like” Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 Motifs as Anode Materials for High‐Rate Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Author(s) -
Wang Lei,
Zhang Yiman,
Scofield Megan E.,
Yue Shiyu,
McBean Coray,
Marschilok Amy C.,
Takeuchi Kenneth J.,
Takeuchi Esther S.,
Wong Stanislaus S.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201500639
Subject(s) - anode , materials science , lithium (medication) , calcination , electrochemistry , electrolyte , hydrothermal circulation , chemical engineering , foil method , diffusion , ion , nanotechnology , electrode , composite material , chemistry , catalysis , medicine , biochemistry , physics , organic chemistry , engineering , thermodynamics , endocrinology
“Flower‐like” motifs of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 were synthesized by using a facile and large‐scale hydrothermal process involving unique Ti foil precursors followed by a short, relatively low‐temperature calcination in air. Moreover, a detailed time‐dependent growth mechanism and a reasonable reaction scheme were proposed to clearly illustrate and highlight the structural evolution and subsequent formation of this material. Specifically, the resulting “flower‐like” Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 microspheres consisting of thin nanosheets provide for an enhanced surface area and a reduced lithium‐ion diffusion distance. The high surface areas of the exposed roughened, thin petal‐like component nanosheets are beneficial for the interaction of the electrolyte with Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 , which thereby ultimately provides for improved high‐rate performance and favorable charge/discharge dynamics. Electrochemical studies of the as‐prepared nanostructured Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 clearly revealed their promising potential as an enhanced anode material for lithium‐ion batteries, as they present both excellent rate capabilities (delivering 148, 141, 137, 123, and 60 mAh g −1 under discharge rates of 0.2, 10, 20, 50, and 100 C, at cycles of 50, 55, 60, 65, and 70, respectively) and stable cycling performance (exhibiting a capacity retention of ≈97 % from cycles 10–100, under a discharge rate of 0.2 C, and an impressive capacity retention of ≈87 % by using a more rigorous discharge rate of 20 C from cycles 101–300).