AUTHOR=Liu Jiequn , Zhong Shengkui , Chen Qingrong , Meng Luchao , Wang Qianyi , Liao Zhijian , Zhou Jian 

TITLE=Spherical Li4Ti5O12/NiO Composite With Enhanced Capacity and Rate Performance as Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2020.626388

DOI=10.3389/fchem.2020.626388

ISSN=2296-2646

ABSTRACT=<p>Compositing with metal oxides is proved to be an efficient strategy to improve electrochemical performance of anode material Li<sub>4</sub>Ti<sub>5</sub>O<sub>12</sub> for lithium-ion batteries. Herein, spherical Li<sub>4</sub>Ti<sub>5</sub>O<sub>12</sub>/NiO composite powders have been successfully prepared via a spray drying method. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results demonstrate that crystal structure of the powders is spinel. Scanning electron microscopy results show that NiO uniformly distributes throughout Li<sub>4</sub>Ti<sub>5</sub>O<sub>12</sub> matrix. It is found that compositing with NiO increases both discharge platform capacity and rate stability of Li<sub>4</sub>Ti<sub>5</sub>O<sub>12</sub>. The as-prepared Li<sub>4</sub>Ti<sub>5</sub>O<sub>12</sub>/NiO (5%) exhibits a high initial discharge capacity of 381.3 mAh g<sup>−1</sup> at 0.1 C, and a discharge capacity of 194.7 mAh g<sup>−1</sup> at an ultrahigh rate of 20 C.</p>