An Investigation of Titanium/Silicon Oxide‐CNTs Anode Material for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Abstract

AbstractDiscovering a high‐performance (high rate capability, high specific capacity, and good stability) anode material for automobile battery applications is a great challenge. A titanium/silicon oxide‐CNTs (TimSinOl‐CNTs) is synthesized and tested as anode material for lithium‐ion batteries. High specific capacity (278 mAhg−1 at 100 mA g−1), high rate capability (156 mAh g−1 at 4000 mA g−1), and good stability (maintains 278 mAhg−1 after 200 cycles) are reached over TimSinOl‐CNTs. The as‐synthesized TimSinOl‐CNTs has a particle structure that TimSinOl encapsulates CNTs with CNTs ends stretching out of the particles. In the TimSinOl phase, the TiO2 crystal seeds are formed and encapsulated in amorphous SiOy boundaries, which have sub‐nano pores. The high performance properties of TimSinOl‐CNTs could come from the synergetic combination of (1) the excellent electronic conductivity of CNTs and the amorphous carbon in TimSinOl‐CNTs, (2) the high Li+ intaking capability of the TiO2 crystal seeds, (3) the high electrochemical activity of SiOy, (4) the high Li+ insertion/extraction kinetics in the small TiO2 crystal seeds and the amorphous SiOy with sub‐nano pores, and (5) the high volume change tolerance offered by the CNTs binder and the amorphous SiOy.