Nanocomposite Li2ZnTi3O8/C with enhanced electrochemical performances for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Nanocomposite of Li2ZnTi3O8/carbon nanobelt was successfully synthesized through a simple synthetic route using titanate nanobelts as a precursor, in which a thin carbon layer of ca. 2–3nm was formed on the surface of Li2ZnTi3O8 nanobelts. This material was used as an anode material for Li-ion storage and demonstrates a large reversible charge-discharge capacity of 247.6mA h g−1 after 200cycles at 0.2 A g−1, which is much greater than that of pure Li2ZnTi3O8 nanowires. At the same time, this material also exhibits excellent rate capability with a capacity of ca. 178.0mA h g−1 even at a current density as high as 2 A g−1. These excellent properties might be attributed to its high electronic conductivity due to a thin carbon layer on the surface of nanobelts and one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure can facilitate the electron transport along the long dimension, meanwhile, Li+ can be transport fast along the two short dimensions.