Preparation of Li4Ti5O12 nanosheets/carbon nanotubes composites and application of anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

•LTO NSs/CNTs composites are synthesized by a facile and scalable strategy.•The incorporation of CNTs into LTO NSs forms a delicate conductive network.•LTO NSs/CNTs composites display excellent rate and cycling performances.•LTO NSs/CNTs show low polarization and large diffusion coefficient of Li+.

Li4Ti5O12 nanosheets (LTO NSs)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composites are synthesized using a facile, reproducible, and scalable strategy. In the hydrothermal process, the introduction of CNTs significantly improves the rate performance of LTO NSs. The incorporation of CNTs into the LTO NSs forms a delicate conductive network for rapid electron and lithium ions transport, resulting in excellent rate performance and superior cycling performance. LTO NSs/7.5%-CNTs composites show the highest reversible capacity and high-rate capability (a reversible capability of 157, 145, 132, 118, and 105 mA h g−1 at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 A g−1, respectively) with good cycling performance (approximate 6.9% capacity loss after 1000 cycles at 2 A g−1 with a capacity retention of 135 mA h g−1), which is apparently larger than pristine LTO NSs. The significantly improved rate capability and cycling performance of the LTO NSs/CNTs composites are mainly attributed to their the lower polarization of potential difference, the larger diffusion coefficient of lithium ion and smaller charge-transfer resistance than pure LTO NSs.

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