Electrochemical properties of spinel Li4Ti5O12 nanoparticles prepared via a low-temperature solid route

• Published in: Journal of solid state electrochemistry 2016-10, Vol.20 (10), p.2673-2683
• Main Authors: Senna, Mamoru, Fabián, Martin, Kavan, Ladislav, Zukalová, Markéta, Briančin, Jaroslav, Turianicová, Erika, Bottke, Patrick, Wilkening, Martin, Šepelák, Vladimír
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Ball milling; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Electrochemistry; Energy Storage; Low temperature; Nanoparticles; Original Paper; Particle size; Physical Chemistry; Specific surface; Surface area; Titanium oxides
• ISSN: 1432-8488; 1433-0768
• DOI: 10.1007/s10008-016-3272-x

Spinel phase Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (s-LTO) with an average primary particle size of 150 nm was synthesised via a solid state route by calcining a precursor mixture at 600 °C. The precursor was prepared from a stoichiometric mixture of TiO 2 nanoparticles and an ethanolic solution of Li acetate and activated by ball-milling. Effects of the calcination temperature and atmosphere are examined in relation to the coexistence of impurity phases by X-ray diffraction and 6 Li MAS NMR. The charge capacity of s-LTO, determined from cyclic voltammogram at a scan rate of 0.1 mV/s, was 142 mAh/g. The capacity of our optimised material is superior to that of commercially available spinel (a-LTO), despite the considerably smaller BET-specific surface area of the former. The superior properties of our material were also demonstrated by galvanostatic charging/discharging. From these observations, we conclude that the presented low-temperature solid state synthesis route provides LTO with improved electrochemical performance.