Binder-Free TiO2-Reduced Graphene Oxide Hybrid Electrodes with Improved Performance for Li-Ion Batteries

TiO2-reduced graphene oxide (TiO2-rGO) hybrid materials were successfully synthesized and directly coated on the Ni framework by a simple solution-based method. The resulting binder-free electrode based on the TiO2-rGO hybrid composite shows ultrahigh rate capability and good cycling properties at high rates when used as the anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). At a high rate of 25 C, the TiO2-rGO hybrid electrodes could still deliver a specific capacity as high as 83 mA h g(-1) after 1000 charge-discharge cycles. The improved performances of the TiO2-rGO hybrid electrodes could be attributed to the efficiently mixed conducting networks with porous TiO2 nanospheres and graphene sheets, which provide liquid electrolyte penetration and facilitate the fast access of both Li+ and e(-).