A Bioinspired Nanofibrous Titania/Silicon Composite as an Anode Material for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Abstract

A hierarchical nanofibrous titania/silicon composite composed of anatase titania nanoparticles anchored as a thin coating layer on the surface of a silicon nanofiber was synthesized by employing natural cellulose substance (e.g., commercial laboratory filter paper) as a template. It was obtained through magnesiothermic reduction of the titania/silica replica of a cellulose substance prepared by a sol–gel process. When used as an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries, it showed improved electrochemical performances that were superior to those of the bare silicon counterpart, and which improved with increasing titania content in the composites. For the composite with 54.3 wt % titania and titania nanoparticles with sizes of about 12 nm, it delivered a specific capacity of 498.9 mA h g−1 after 200 charge/discharge cycles at a current density of 200 mA g−1. The enhanced electrochemical performances of the composite are attributed to its unique network structure, as well as the buffering effect of the titania coating layer for huge volume changes to the silicon fiber during repeated lithiation and delithiation processes.

Titanium dioxide-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries: structure and synthesis

“…100 Excellent stability can be obtained at high current densities. Jia et al 123 prepared layered nanober TiO 2 /silica composites using natural cellulose material as a template, and their electrochemical performance improved with increasing titanium content in the composites. For composites with 54.3 wt% TiO 2 and TiO 2 nanoparticles of size 12 nm, at 200 mA g −1 current density, it has a capacity of 498.9 mA g −1 aer 200 charge/discharge cycles.…”

A Cellulose Derived Nanotubular MoO3/SnO2 Composite with Superior Lithium Storage Properties

“…By comparing the electrochemical performances of the series of the MoO 3 /SnO 2 composites, it is seen that the complete and relatively thin MoO 3 coating layer leads to a higher capacity retention. As revealed by the TEM micrographs (Figures S3 and S4), the MoO 3 coating layer is incomplete in the MoO 3 ‐27.6%−SnO 2 composite, leading to a weak synergistic effect between the MoO 3 and SnO 2 components; while for the sample MoO 3 ‐67.8%−SnO 2 , the relatively thick MoO 3 layer on the SnO 2 nanotube surfaces greatly reduced the available electrode‐electrolyte contact area, suppressed Li‐ions diffusion and residual strain transfer . Consequently, the inferior cycling performances were presented by the MoO 3 ‐27.6%−SnO 2 and MoO 3 ‐67.8%−SnO 2 composites because of the less‐interfaces for lithium accommodation as compared with the MoO 3 ‐48.9%−SnO 2 electrode.…”

Natural Cellulose Derived Nanocomposites as Anodic Materials for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

“…We have fabricated a nanofibrous titania/silicon composite by using the natural cellulose substance as the template. [93] The as-prepared titania/silica replica of the cellulose substance was synthesized by the surface sol-gel process, followed by a magnesiothermic reduction reaction to give the titania/silicon nanocomposite. The sample was composed of silicon nanofibers coated with thin TiO 2 layer (thicknesses of ca.…”