Controllable Synthesis and Electrochemical Research of Zn2TiO4 Spheres as New Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

Zn2TiO4 spheres are fabricated via a simple hydrothermal strategy combined with subsequent heating treatment of 600, 700, and 800 degrees C, respectively. All the as-synthesized Zn2TiO4 spheres are assembled by many small nanospheres with a particle size of 20-100 nm. The compactness of Zn2TiO4 spheres is continuously enhanced as the temperature rises from 600 to 800 degrees C. Additionally, compared with the Zn2TiO4 calcined at 700 and 800 degrees C samples, the Zn2TiO4 sintered at 600 degrees C sample exhibits the best electrochemical performance, and it can deliver the high discharge specific capacities of 405, 269, 223, 193, 173, and 166 mAh g(-1) at current densities of 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mA g(-1), respectively. Simultaneously, it also displays the excellent cyclic performance with a high reversible charge (discharge) capacity of 245.8 (247.7) mAh g(-1) after 300 cycles at the current density of 200 mA g(-1). The results demonstrate that the as-prepared ZnTiO4 spheres sintered at 600 degrees C will be expected to be a new anode material of lithium ion batteries.