Synthesis of LTO nanorods with Ac/nano-Si composite as anode material for Lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

In this study, the synthesis of lithium titanate (LTO) composite with 3 wt% activated carbons (AC) and 10 wt%, 15 wt%, as well as 20 wt% of nano silicon (nano-Si) are carried out. LTO has zero-strain characteristics and has a long life cycle. However, its capacity is limited, and it has poor electrical conductivity. The addition of nano-Si aims to enhance its capacity, while the AC aims to provide a large specific surface area to increase electrical conductivity. The nanorod templates are made from titanium dioxide (TiO2), which is obtained from titanium (IV) butoxide using the sol-gel method. Nanorod structures are achieved by a hydrothermal process in a 10 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. However, needle-like structures are also observed, and the Li2TiO3 phase is finally formed. Battery performance is determined by CV, CD, and EIS tests. EIS results show that the highest electrical conductivity is found in LTO only; the CV test results show that the highest specific capacity is found in LTO-AC/15% nano-Si, at 140.7 mAh/g, as well as a charge-discharge (CD) capacity at a current rate of 0.2 to 20 C.