Preparation of Li4Ti5O12 spherical particles for rechargeable lithium batteries

Spherical Li4Ti5O12 particles were prepared via an emulsion-gel process. The preparation of spherical Li4Ti5O12 such as the concentrations of the starting materials and heat treatment were optimized. The particle size distribution of the Li4Ti5O12 prepared under optimized condition was very narrow, and the particle size was 0.45 μm. It was found that a short heat treatment in an infrared furnace was useful to crystallize amorphous LiTiO powders without aggregation of particles or morphology change. The obtained Li4Ti5O12 had the spinel structure, and was phase pure. The prepared Li4Ti5O12 exhibited a high discharge capacity of 160 mA h g−1 at the potential of 1.5 V versus Li/Li+, and the charge–discharge cycle stability was excellent.