TiNb2O7 nanowires with high electrochemical performances as anodes for lithium ion batteries

TiNb2O7 nanowires (TNS) were synthesized by using a simple sol-gel method combined with subsequent calcination process. As anodes of lithium-ion batteries, TNS exhibit a specific capacity of 199.6 mAh g(-1) after 500 cycles at 0.4 A g(-1) and satisfactory coulombic efficiency of 98.7% after 2000 cycles at 5 A g(-1). Compared with TiNb2O7 nanoparticles (TN), TNS have excellent electrochemical performances due to the 1D materials assembled from uniform and dense TiNb2O7 nanoparticles ( similar to 35 nm). The 1D linear structural electrode gathered the merits of tiny nanoparticles, multiple active sites, short electronic transport path and excellent dynamics orientation, which are responsible for the favorable electrochemical properties.