Effective wrapping of graphene on individual Li4Ti5O12 grains for high-rate Li-ion batteries

An effective way of synthesizing graphene-wrapped Li4Ti5O12 particles was developed by solid-state reaction between graphene oxide-wrapped P25 (TiO2) and Li2CO3. Compared to the previously reported graphene/Li4Ti5O12 composites, prior wrapping of TiO2 with subsequent chemical lithiation led to more effectively confined Li4Ti5O12. The Li4Ti5O12 tightly bound by graphene exhibited a remarkable specific capacity of 147 mA h g(-1) at a rate of 10 degrees C (1C = 175 mA g(-1)) after 100 cycles. This rate capability is one of the highest values among reported Li4Ti5O12 with 150 +/- 50 nm grains. The improved rate capability was attributed to the enhanced electronic conductivity of each Li4Ti5O12 grain via uniform graphene wrapping, with single-grain growth during annealing from the initial similar to 25 nm TiO2 nanoparticles enclosed by outer graphene sheets. Graphene-eliminated Li4Ti5O12 by thermal decomposition was also directly compared to the graphene-coated sample, to clarify the role of graphene with nearly equivalent particle size/morphology distributions.