Core-Double-Shell TiO2@Fe3O4@C Microspheres with Enhanced Cycling Performance as Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Due to the volume expansion effect during charge and discharge processes, the application of transition metal oxide anode materials in lithium-ion batteries is limited. Composite materials and carbon coating are often considered feasible improvement methods. In this study, three types of TiO2@Fe3O4@C microspheres with a core-double-shell structure, namely TFCS (TiO2@Fe3O4@C with 0.0119 g PVP), TFCM (TiO2@Fe3O4@C with 0.0238 g PVP), and TFCL (TiO2@Fe3O4@C with 0.0476 g PVP), were prepared using PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone) as the carbon source through homogeneous precipitation and high-temperature carbonization methods. After 500 cycles at a current density of 2 C, the specific capacities of these three microspheres are all higher than that of TiO2@Fe2O3 with significantly improved cycling stability. Among them, TFCM exhibits the highest specific capacity of 328.3 mAh·g-1, which was attributed to the amorphous carbon layer effectively mitigating the capacity decay caused by the volume expansion of iron oxide during charge and discharge processes. Additionally, the carbon coating layer enhances the electrical conductivity of the TiO2@Fe3O4@C materials, thereby improving their rate performance. Within the range of 100 to 1600 mA·g-1, the capacity retention rates for TiO2@Fe2O3, TFCS, TFCM, and TFCL are 27.2%, 35.2%, 35.9%, and 36.9%, respectively. This study provides insights into the development of new lithium-ion battery anode materials based on Ti and Fe oxides with the abundance and environmental friendliness of iron, titanium, and carbon resources in TiO2@Fe3O4@C microsphere anode materials, making this strategy potentially applicable.

Macroporosity Control by Phase Separation in Sol-Gel Derived Monoliths and Microspheres

Macroporous and hierarchically macro/mesoporous materials (mostly monoliths and microspheres) have attracted much attention for a variety of applications, such as supporting or enabling materials in chromatography, energy storage and conversion, catalysis, biomedical devices, drug delivery systems, and environmental remediation. A well-succeeded method to obtain these tailored porous materials relies on the sol-gel technique, combined with phase separation by spinodal decomposition, and involves as well emulsification as a soft template, in the case of the synthesis of porous microspheres. Significant advancements have been witnessed, in terms of synthesis methodologies optimized either for the use of alkoxides or metal-salts and material design, including the grafting or immobilization of a specific species (or nanoparticles) to enable the most recent trends in technological applications, such as photocatalysis. In this context, the evolution, in terms of material composition and synthesis strategies, is discussed in a concerted fashion in this review, with the goal of inspiring new improvements and breakthroughs in the framework of porous materials.

Ustinov A, Sergienko VI. Effect of Hf-doping on electrochemical performance of anatase TiO2 as an anode material for lithium storage

Hafnium-doped titania (Hf/Ti = 0.01; 0.03; 0.05) had been facilely synthesized via a template sol-gel method on carbon fibre. Physico-chemical properties of the as-synthesized materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, scanning transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetry analysis and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements. It was confirmed that Hf4+ substitute in the Ti4+ sites, forming Ti1-x Hf x O2 (x = 0.01; 0.03; 0.05) solid solutions with an anatase crystal structure. The Ti1-x Hf x O2 materials are hollow microtubes (length of 10-100 µm, outer diameter of 1-5 µm) composed of nanoparticles (average size of 15-20 nm) with a surface area of 80-90 m2 g-1 and pore volume of 0.294-0.372 cm3 g-1. The effect of Hf ion incorporation on the electrochemical behaviour of anatase TiO2 in the Li-ion battery anode was investigated by galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It was established that Ti0.95Hf0.05O2 shows significantly higher reversibility (154.2 mAh g-1) after 35-fold cycling at a C/10 rate in comparison with undoped titania (55.9 mAh g-1). The better performance offered by Hf4+ substitution of the Ti4+ into anatase TiO2 mainly results from a more open crystal structure, which has been achieved via the difference in ionic radius values of Ti4+ (0.604 Å) and Hf4+ (0.71 Å). The obtained results are in good accord with those for anatase TiO2 doped with Zr4+ (0.72 Å), published earlier. Furthermore, improved electrical conductivity of Hf-doped anatase TiO2 materials owing to charge redistribution in the lattice and enhanced interfacial lithium storage owing to increased surface area directly depending on the Hf/Ti atomic ratio have a beneficial effect on electrochemical properties.

Hierarchically Nanostructured Transition Metal Oxides for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely used in the field of portable electric devices because of their high energy density and long cycling life. To further improve the performance of LIBs, it is of great importance to develop new electrode materials. Various transition metal oxides (TMOs) have been extensively investigated as electrode materials for LIBs. According to the reaction mechanism, there are mainly two kinds of TMOs, one is based on conversion reaction and the other is based on intercalation/deintercalation reaction. Recently, hierarchically nanostructured TMOs have become a hot research area in the field of LIBs. Hierarchical architecture can provide numerous accessible electroactive sites for redox reactions, shorten the diffusion distance of Li-ion during the reaction, and accommodate volume expansion during cycling. With rapid research progress in this field, a timely account of this advanced technology is highly necessary. Here, the research progress on the synthesis methods, morphological characteristics, and electrochemical performances of hierarchically nanostructured TMOs for LIBs is summarized and discussed. Some relevant prospects are also proposed.

Hierarchical porous anatase TiO2 derived from a titanium metal-organic framework as a superior anode material for lithium ion batteries

Hierarchical meso-/macroporous anatase TiO2 was synthesized by the hydrolysis of a titanium metal-organic framework precursor followed by calcination in air. This unique porous feature enables the superior rate capability and excellent cycling stability of anatase TiO2 as an anode for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

Applications of hierarchically structured porous materials from energy storage and conversion, catalysis, photocatalysis, adsorption, separation, and sensing to biomedicine

A comprehensive review of the recent progress in the applications of hierarchically structured porous materials is given.

Nano-Sn doped carbon-coated rutile TiO2 spheres as a high capacity anode for Li-ion battery

Nano-Sn doped carbon-coated rutile TiO₂ spheres (C-NS/TiO₂-1 and C-NS/TiO₂-2) as an improved TiO₂-based anode for Li-ion batteries were in situ fabricated.

Ellipsoid-like Li4Ti5O12–TiO2 composites constructed by nanocrystals for lithium ion batteries

Porous ellipsoid-like Li₄Ti₅O₁₂–TiO₂ composites with a unique micro/nano structure have been successfully fabricated via a facile sol–gel route followed by calcination.

Preparation of silver nanoparticles embedded hierarchically porous AlPO4 monoliths

Silver nanoparticles were homogenously embedded on the skeletons of hierarchically porous AlPO₄ by immersing the monoliths in a silver colloid.

Synthesis and electrochemical performance of Li4Ti5O12/TiO2/C nanocrystallines for high-rate lithium ion batteries

A Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/TiO₂/carbon (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/TiO₂/C) nanocrystalline composite has been successfully synthesized by a facile sol–gel method and subsequent calcination treatment.