Facile Synthesis and Characterization of Li4Ti5O12 as Anode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries

Li4Ti5O12 was successfully synthesized through the liquid phase evaporation reaction using lithium hydroxide (LiOH center dot H2O) and butyl titanate (C16H36O4Ti) as raw materials. The as-prepared powders were characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the electrochemical properties of the Li4Ti5O12 powders were examined by the galvanostatic charge/discharge and cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests. The results indicate that the sintering temperature has a remarkable effect on the structure, morphology, and electrochemical performances. Li4Ti5O12 powder synthesized at 650 degrees C for 20h displays well-developed crystal structure and well-crystallized micro-sized particles. The apparent diffusion coefficients of Li+ ions calculated from CV are in the order of 10(-7)-10(-6) cm(2) s(-1). Electrochemical analyses show that 650 degrees C-synthesized Li4Ti5O12 powder exhibits good cycling performance of 146.63 mAh g(-1) after 100 cycles at the current of 30 mA g(-1) and a superior rate capability of 125.77 mAh g(-1) at the current of 120 mA g(-1).