Li4Ti5O12@N-Doped Carbon Composites as Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

Li4Ti5O12 is considered a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries because of its zero-strain insertion. However, this material is difficult for widespread application due to its shortage of electronic and ionic conductivity. Herein, we reported a facile hydrothermal combined calcination method to synthesize Li4Ti5O12@nitrogen-doped carbon (LTO@NC ) composites by using urea as the nitrogen and carbon sources. The results of electrochemical experiments showed that the LTO@NC composites exhibited a high initial capacity of 194.3 mA h g(-1), an increased specific capacity and an improved rate performance. This could be ascribed to the N-doped carbon coating that enhanced the electronic conductivity and decreased the polarization of the material and the reduced particle size that hydrothermally shortened the diffusion path of Li+.