An electrochemical investigation of rutile TiO2 microspheres anchored by nanoneedle clusters for sodium storage

• Published in: Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP 2015-06, Vol.17 (24), p.15764-1577
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yan, Pu, Xuli, Yang, Yingchang, Zhu, Yirong, Hou, Hongshuai, Jing, Mingjun, Yang, Xuming, Chen, Jun, Ji, Xiaobo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1463-9076; 1463-9084
• DOI: 10.1039/c5cp01227a

Rutile TiO 2 microspheres anchored by nanoneedle clusters, as a new class of anode materials, are successfully employed for sodium-ion batteries and manifested good energy storage behavior. The initial discharge capacity of 308.8 mA h g −1 is obtained and a high reversible capacity of 121.8 mA h g −1 is maintained after 200 cycles at a current density of 0.1 C, exhibiting a high capacity retention of 83.1%. All these merits are not only ascribed to the rutile TiO 2 crystal structure, but also thanks to the porous morphology of hundreds of nanoneedle clusters in favor of sodium diffusion and accommodating the strain during the sodiation and desodiation processes. Therefore, it is highly expected that rutile TiO 2 , as a feasible electrochemical sodium storage material, can be a new promising candidate as an anode for sodium-ion batteries. Rutile TiO 2 microspheres anchored by nanoneedle clusters are successfully employed as anodes for sodium-ion batteries for the first time, and manifested excellent sodium storage properties.