Tailored Li4Ti5O12 nanofibers with outstanding kinetics for lithium rechargeable batteries

Abstract

We report on the synthesis of one-dimensional (1D) Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ nanofibers through electrospinning and their outstanding electrochemical performances. Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ with a spinel structure is a promising candidate anode material for lithium rechargeable batteries due to its well-known zero-strain merits. In order to improve the electronic properties of spinel Li₄Ti₅O₁₂, which are intrinsically poor, we processed the material into a nanofiber type of architecture to shorten the Li⁺ and electron transport distance using a versatile electrospinning approach. The electrospun Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ nanofiber showed significantly enhanced discharging/charging properties, even at high rates that exceeded 10 C, demonstrating that the nanofiber offers an attractive architecture for enhanced kinetics.