Facile synthesis of Ni/Li3Ti4NiCrO12 composites with enhanced cycle performance as lithium ion battery anode

Ni modified spinel Li3Ti4NiCrO12 (Ni/Li3Ti4NiCrO12) anode material was synthesized by a simple high temperature solid-state reaction in a reducing atmosphere. The existence of metallic Ni not only changes the growth manner of the synthesized Ni/Li3Ti4NiCrO12, but also reduces the grain size, which further leads to a significant improvement in electric conductivity. Such Ni modified Li3Ti4NiCrO12 anode material showed excellent electrochemical behavior upon cyclic test, with a high initial capacity of 158.8 mA h/g and high capacity retention (97.2%) after 80 cycles. All the results confirmed the significance of metallic Ni in promoting the electrochemical behaviors of Li3Ti4NiCrO12, suggesting high potential of Ni/Li3Ti4NiCrO12 in future application.