Li4Ti5O12 hollow microspheres assembled by nanoparticles as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

•Li4Ti5O12 hollow microsphere prepared via a hydrothermal method and subsquent calcination.•Mesoporous Li4Ti5O12 hollow microsphere as anode material.•Hollow microspheres consist of nanoparticles enhance electrochemical performance.

Li4Ti5O12 hollow microspheres assembled by nanoparticles are successfully prepared via a process employing hydrothermal method and subsquent calcination. The washing times, which can significantly influence the adsorbed amount of Li+ in the intermediate products, play an important role in the composition of the final hollow microspheres. The obtained hollow microspheres present a very stable reversible capacity of 173 mAh g−1 at 1 C. Furthermore, the Li4Ti5O12 hollow microspheres could remain relatively high reversible capacities even at higher charge/discharge rates. The reversible capacities of approximately 168.3, 163.0, 156.6 and 152.4 mAh g−1 are obtained after 10 cycles at 2 C, 5 C, 10 C and 15 C, respectively.

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