Composites Based on Lithium Titanate with Carbon Nanomaterials as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium titanate composites with conducting additives are synthesized by the sol-gel method. As the conducting additives, carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-plain and heterosubstituted, graphene-like nanoflakes (CNFs), and the carbon coating formed by sucrose (S) pyrolysis are used. The introduction of carbon nanotubes considerably increases the reversible discharge capacity of composites including the case of high current densities. This occurs as a result of the formation of a three-dimensional network which sustains the fast transport of lithium ions and electrons between the particles of the anode material. Thus, at the current density of 200, 800, 1600, and 3200 mA/g, the reversible discharge capacity of the Li4Ti5O12/C/CNT is found to be 130, 107, 94, and 71 mA h/g, respectively. The use of CNFs as the conducting additive fails to considerably improve the properties of the anode material.