Abstract
This study demonstrates the hybridization of Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) with different types of carbon onions synthesized from nanodiamonds. The carbon onions mixed with a Li4Ti5Ox precursor for sol–gel synthesis. These hybrid materials are tested as anodes for both lithium‐ion battery (LIB) and sodium‐ion battery (SIB). Electrochemical characterization for LIB application is carried out using 1 m LiPF6 in a 1:1 (by volume) ethylene carbonate and dimethyl carbonate as the electrolyte. For lithium‐ion intercalation, LTO hybridized with carbon onions from the inert‐gas route achieves an excellent electrochemical performance of 188 mAh g−1 at 10 mA g−1, which maintains 100 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 and has a cycling stability of 96% of initial capacity after 400 cycles, thereby outperforming both neat LTO and LTO with onions obtained via vacuum treatment. The performance of the best‐performing hybrid material (LTO with carbon onions from argon annealing) in an SIB is tested, using 1 m NaClO4 in ethylene/dimethyl/fluoroethylene carbonate (19:19:2 by mass) as the electrolyte. A maximum capacity of 102 mAh g−1 for the SIB system is obtained, with a capacity retention of 96% after 500 cycles.
Highlights
The increased demand for energy storage applications in daily life necessitates the development of faster and more long-lasting energy storage devices
The measurement data are dominated by signals from the crystalline LTO phase, whereas the contribution of the incompletely graphitic carbon is mostly lost in the background; more information on the carbon structure can be inferred from the Raman spectra
The LTO-OLCa successfully demonstrated its excellent performance with a high specific capacity of 188 mAh gÀ1 and a favorable rate capability of 74 mAh gÀ1 at 2 A gÀ1, with 99% retention of its initial capacity after the testing to 10 A gÀ1
Summary
The increased demand for energy storage applications in daily life necessitates the development of faster and more long-lasting energy storage devices. We used thermal annealing of nanodiamond precursors in an inert atmosphere or under vacuum to yield carbon onions with a primary particle size of 5–10 nm.[36,37] We chose carbon onions, because the absence of inner porosity and the mesopore-dominate interparticle pore space allows a highly favorable nanoscale implementation of metal oxides.[38,39] The resulting hybrid materials were electrochemically surveyed for charge storage capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability for the reversible intercalation of lithium and sodium
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