Multichannel hollow structure for improved electrochemical performance of TiO2/Carbon composite nanofibers as anodes for lithium ion batteries

With nanofibers receiving much attention in the application of lithium ion batteries (LIBs), we herein report the use of multichannel hollow nanofibers composed of TiO2 and Carbon as a binder-free anode for LIBs. The nanofibers were produced by the Forcespinning® of an emulsion precursor solution composed of Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), Titanium (IV) butoxide, ethanol, acetic acid, and mineral oil. The as-prepared precursor nanofibers were subjected to a thermal treatment by first stabilizing in air at 280 °C followed by carbonizing at 550 °C under an argon atmosphere to form TiO2/C composite multichannel hollow nanofibers without the need for a sacrificial polymer to produce this morphology. This fibers' hollow structure resulted in improved electrochemical performance when compared to non-hollow fibers. These hollow fibers also showed excellent cycling performance with a specific capacity of 228.9 mAhg−1 at a current density of 100 mAg−1 while maintaining a Coulombic efficiency of ∼98% after 100 cycles compared to the TiO2/C non-hollow fibers which showed a capacity of 61.4 mAhg−1. These composite hollow nanofibers show a great promise as alternative anode materials for next generation LIBs.