Ultrafast-Charging and Long-Life Li-Ion Battery Anodes of TiO2-B and Anatase Dual-Phase Nanowires

Ideal lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) should possess a high power density, be charged extremely fast (e.g., 100C), and have a long service life. To achieve them all, all battery components, including anodes, cathodes, and electrolytes should have excellent structural and functional characteristics. The present work reports ultrafast-charging and long-life LIB anodes made from TiO2-B/anatase dual-phase nanowires. The dual-phase nanowires are fabricated with anatase TiO2 nanoparticles through a facile and cost-effective hydrothermal process, which can be easily scaled up for mass production. The anodes exhibit remarkable electrochemical performance with reversible capacities of ∼225, 172, and 140 mAh g–1 at current rates of 1C, 10C, and 60C, respectively. They deliver exceptional capacity retention of not less than 126 and 93 mAh g–1 after 1000 cycles at 60C and 100C, respectively, potentially worthwhile for high-power applications. These values are among the best when the high-rate capabilities are compared w...