Electrospun TiO2-δ Nanofibers as Insertion Anode for Li-Ion Battery Applications

A scalable electrospinning technique is used to synthesize 1D TiO2 nanofibers for Li-ion battery applications. Oxygen deficiency (TiO2-delta) in anatase phases is created by treating the nanofibers in the H-2 atmosphere with various temperature conditions. Structural and morphological features of both pure and oxygen deficient phases are analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Li-insertion properties of such nanofibers are evaluated in half-cell configuration at high current rate of 150 mA g(-1) and found that there is no improvement in the reversible capacity after H-2 treatment. Improved cycling profiles are noted for such deficient phases compared with pure TiO2 nanofibers. ac impedance spectra were also conducted to validate the electrical conductivity profiles of the electrospun TiO2 nanofibers.