Synthesis and electrochemical performance of hole-rich Li4Ti5O12 anode material for lithium-ion secondary batteries

•Hole-rich Li4Ti5O12 is synthesized by spray-drying using carbon nanotubes as additives in precursor.•Hole-rich Li4Ti5O12 shows superior rate performances and cycleability.•The enhanced performances is attributed to the shorter transport path and larger Li-ion diffusion coefficient.

Hole-rich Li4Ti5O12 composites are synthesized by spray drying using carbon nanotubes as additives in precursor solution, subsequently followed calcinated at high temperature in air. The structure, morphology, and texture of the as-prepared composites are characterized with XRD, Raman, BET and SEM techniques. The electrochemical properties of the as-prepared composites are investigated systematically by charge/discharge testing, cyclic voltammograms and AC impedance spectroscopy, respectively. In comparison with the pristine Li4Ti5O12, the hole-rich Li4Ti5O12 induced by carbon nanotubes exhibits superior electrochemical performance, especially at high rates. The obtained excellent electrochemical performances of should be attributed to the hole-rich structure of the materials, which offers more connection-area with the electrolyte, shorter diffusion-path length as well faster migration rate for both Li ions and electrons during the charge/discharge process.