Fabrication and performance of Li4Ti5O12/cotton-driven carbon fiber as anode for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

In this paper, we reported a simple, inexpensive, and green biomimetic technique for developing high-performance Li4Ti5O12 for lithium-ion batteries. Carbon-coated Li4Ti5O12 particles were synthesized by using cotton-driven carbon fiber as both a structural template and a biocarbon source. The conductive and uniform cotton-driven carbon fiber coated on the surface of the Li4Ti5O12 particles significantly improved the electrochemical performance of the composite, which exhibited a higher reversible capacity and a better rate capability than those of pure Li4Ti5O12. The average grain size of Li4Ti5O12/cotton fiber (CF) was approximately 200–400 nm, which was considerably smaller, more uniform, and regular than that of pure Li4Ti5O12. The initial charge capacity of the Li4Ti5O12/CF electrodes was 183.3 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 (0.57 C). After 100 cycles, the electrodes retained a capacity of 152.9 mAh g−1, which was 30.6% higher than that of Li4Ti5O12 (117.1 mAh g−1). The superior electrochemical performance can be attributed to the improved ionic and electronic conductivities in the electrode produced by the uniform cotton-driven carbon fiber coating layer.