Single crystalline lithium titanate nanostructure with enhanced rate performance for lithium ion battery

Here we report the synthesis and electrochemical performance of 40 nm near-uniform lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12) single crystals. The cubic spinel Li4Ti5O12 nanocrystals are transformed without size changes at 400 °C from cubic NaCl type (Li0.4H0.6)2TiO3 nanocrystals that are prepared from hydrothermal synthesized α-Li2TiO3. The prepared Li4Ti5O12 nanocrystals show reduced charge-transfer impedance and exhibit favorable performance under high current charging/discharging due to the reduced Li+ ion diffusion path.

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► 40 nm near-uniform Li4Ti5O12 single crystals are prepared from cubic α-LixTiO3.
► The transformation was carried out at 400 °C without sintering.
► Li4Ti5O12 single crystals exhibited enhanced rate capability.