Lithium intercalation studies in cubic titanium carbide thin films

Abstract

In this study, titanium carbide (TiC) was deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering onto copper substrates. Sputtering was done at room temperature in the presence of methane. Formation of crystalline cubic TiC as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). A discharge capacity of 169 μA h g−1 was observed for the Cubic Phase TiC thin film/Lithium half-cells. Cyclic voltammetric studies showed that the reduction reaction of the half-cell occurred at 0.78 V, while the oxidation reaction occurred at 1.1 V. Charge/discharge cycles showed a decrease in discharge capacity when the half-cell was cycled between 0.01 and 3.0 V. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the Li intercalated TiC films showed that cubic phase TiC, hydroxyl groups, titanium sub oxides and lithium fluoride compounds were formed. The crystallite size of the cubic TiC was of the order of 15–20 nm.