Nb‐Doped Rutile TiO₂ Mesocrystals with Enhanced Lithium Storage Properties for Lithium Ion Battery

Abstract

A homogeneous Nb-doped rutile TiO mesocrystal material was synthesized successfully through a facile hydrothermal route. The incorporation of Nb not only promotes the crystallization of the building subunits of the rutile TiO mesocrystal, but also improves the electrochemical performance at higher current rates. A capacity of 96.3 mAh g at a current density as high as 40 C and an excellent long-term cycling stability with a capacity loss of approximately 0.006 % per cycle at 5 C could be achieved when an appropriate amount of Nb was doped into rutile TiO mesocrystal. The reasons for the improvement of rate capability may be attributed to the enhancement of electronic conductivity, Li-ion diffusion kinetics, and the surface storage property for the Nb-doped rutile TiO mesocrystal.

Highly crystalline Nb-doped TiO2 nanospindles as superior electron transporting materials for high-performance planar structured perovskite solar cells

“…Up to now, magnesium, 18 lithium or sodium, [19][20][21][22] samarium, 23 lanthanum, 24 tantalum, 25 uorine, 26 thallium, 27 and other metal [28][29][30] doped TiO 2 have been attempted in perovskite solar cells. Niobium-doped TiO 2 (Nb:TiO 2 ) has been tremendous used in transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), 31 photocatalysis, 32,33 lithium and sodium ion batteries, 34,35 dyesensitized solar cells (DSSCs). [36][37][38][39][40][41][42] However, limited work on Nb:TiO 2 has been performed in planar PSCs to date.…”

Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) Mesocrystals: Synthesis, Growth Mechanisms and Photocatalytic Properties

“…In addition to the well-known dye sensitization, the modification of TiO 2 with impurity doping was demonstrated to exhibit visible-light-responsive photocatalytic reactivity and showed improved stability upon light irradiation [11,16,19]. Considering the novel structural characteristics of TiO 2 mesocrystals, the fabrication of metal-or nonmetal-doped TiO 2 mesocrystals may give rise to ideal photocatalysts for particle applications, and thus has drawn considerable research interest [158][159][160][161]. For example, Majima's group successfully prepared N-doped anatase TiO 2 mesocrystals by solvothermal treatment of the pre-synthesized TiO 2 mesocrystals with triethanolamine [158].…”

“…Wei's group prepared pure rutile TiO 2 mesocrystals first, and then hydrothermally treated them in aqueous niobium oxalate solution. After a certain period of hydrothermal treatment, homogeneous Nb-doped rutile TiO 2 mesocrystals could finally be produced [161].…”

“…Catalysts 2019, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 12 of 26 mesocrystals first, and then hydrothermally treated them in aqueous niobium oxalate solution. After a certain period of hydrothermal treatment, homogeneous Nb-doped rutile TiO2 mesocrystals could finally be produced [161]. Recently, the introduction of oxygen vacancies or Ti 3+ ions into TiO2 to produce oxygendeficient/Ti 3+ self-doped TiO2 mesostructures has been well accepted to be one of the most efficient ways to extend the light absorption region of TiO2 to visible light [162][163][164][165][166].…”

Biomass-Mediated Synthesis of Cu-Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles for Improved-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries

“… 16 Even though TiO 2 -based materials possess many advantages, they still encounter a big challenge of poor reversibility during charge–discharge, poor rate capability, poor electronic conductivity (10 –12 –10 –7 S cm –1 ), and poor ionic conductivity, which lead to poor electrochemical performance, thereby hampering its practical applications. 17 − 19 …”