Synthesis of nano-sized Li4Ti5O12/C composite anode material with excellent high-rate performance

► High crystallinity Li4Ti5O12/C composite is synthesized by solid-state method. ► Li-citrate is used as carbon source and lithium source simultaneously. ► The carbon can effectively reduce the size of Li4Ti5O12 (average 70 nm). ► Li4Ti5O12/C composite exhibits a high capacity of 121.1 mAh/g at the rate of 20 C.