Flower-like TiO2-B particles wrapped by graphene with different contents as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Flower-like TiO2-B-graphene composites with different contents of graphene have been successfully fabricated via a simple hydrothermal method. The obtained composites are characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, Fourier-transform infrared spectra, and electron microscopy, etc. By varying content of graphene in composites, TiO2-B nanoparticles can be uniformly distributed on the surface of graphene. It is noted that during the hydrothermal treatment, most of graphene oxides have been reduced to reduced graphene oxides. Small amount of graphene can improve the electrochemical performance of TiO2-B particles. But with the addition of graphene, the lithium storage property of TiO2-B-graphene composites have climbed up and then decreased. TiO2-B-graphene composites containing 18.8 wt% graphene deliver the highest specific capacity and good capacity retention among the composite samples as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, demonstrating the positively synergic effects between TiO2-B and graphene.