Preparation and Electrochemical Lithium Storage of Titanium Dioxide@Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes (TiO2@MWNTs) Nanocomposites

The TiO2@MWNTs nanocomposites have been prepared by a simple one-step solvothermal method using low-cost TiOSO4 as the raw material in the presence of MWNTs. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scan electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nitrogen adsorption-desorption and thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimeter (TG-DSC) analysis were performed to characterize the structures and morphologies of the TiO2@MWNTs composites. Their lithium storage properties were investigated with galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements when the composites was used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The nitrogen adsorption-desorption curve and pore size distribution verified that the TiO2@MWNTs nanocomposites had rich hierarchical pores and large specific surface area. Compared with pristine TiO2, these TiO2@MWNTs nanocomposites exhibited much higher rate capability and even better capacity retention. The reversible capacity of the nanocomposites electrode is up to 200 mAh.g(-1) and remain at 182 mAh.g(-1) at 1 C after 100 cycles. The reversible capacity is about 100 mAh.g(-1) even at the high rate of 10 C.