Preparation and Electrochemical Properties of Graphene-modified TiO₂ (Anatase) Nanotubes Composite for Lithium-ion Batteries

Abstract

TiO₂ nanotubes decorated with graphene hybrid material was prepared via a green route, namely, both synthesis of nano tubular TiO₂ and reduction of GO were simultaneously carried out in alkali solution under solvothermal conditions. The as-prepared nanocomposite was used for investigation of Li-ion insertion properties. TEM analysis highlights the excellent crystallinity of the anatase TiO₂ nanotubes, 5∼7 nm in external diameter and several hundred nanometers in length, loaded on graphene sheets. The composite exhibits a high capacity and about 0.8 Li per TiO₂ can be delivered in the first discharge and charge at a current density of 0.1 C, larger than the values for the TNs (0.6 Li per TiO₂). The electrochemical performance of the composite is superior to that of the bare TNs anode, indicating a positive synergistic effect of nanotubular TiO₂ and graphene.

Keywords:

• Graphene
• TiO₂ nanotubes
• composite
• lithium-ion batteries

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Western Light Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. LHXZ200902), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51102276), West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. XBBS201111), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21103225), the Special Found of young science and technology innovation of Xinjiang Production and Construction Crops of China (No. 2012CB016), and the Project of science and technology development research of Xinjiang Shihezi University of China(No. ZRKX2010YB11).