The electrochemical performances of high surface area mesocellular anatase TiO2 foam anode for lithium–ion battery

Abstract

Porous anatase TiO2 with mesocellular foam structure (MCF−TiO2) was facilely prepared through hard-templating using mesocellular foam carbon (MCF−C), which had been prepared through hard-templating using mesocellular silica foam (MCF). During the dual hard-templating processes, the MCF−TiO2 well preserved the original three-dimensional (3D) mesocellular nanostructure of MCF. The wall of MCF−TiO2 was composed of very tiny anatase TiO2 nanocrystals (NCs). The TiO2 NCs were of less than 20 nm dimension. The surface area of MCF−TiO2 was 144 m2 g−1, and the MCF−TiO2 also contained large void spaces. The high surface area 3D nanostructured anatase MCF−TiO2 with large void spaces was ideal for Li+ transport and charge transfer reactions when MCF−TiO2 was applied to the anode material of the lithium–ion battery (LIB). Galvanostatic charge–discharge measurement and cyclic voltammetry confirmed that the MCF−TiO2 was an efficient anode material. The specific capacity after 50 cycles at a current rate of 0.1C reached 187 mAh g−1; it also showed stable recycling performances due to the robust high surface area 3D nanostructure.