Is TiO2(B) the Future of Titanium-Based Battery Materials?

Titania materials are gaining interest as negative electrode materials in Li-ion batteries due to their high power capability and enhanced safety. Today, Li4Ti5O12 is the material of choice for commercial batteries, but other titania materials, namely polymorphs of TiO2, are being explored because of their similar electrochemical behavior and higher theoretical specific charge capacity. In practice, the specific charge capacity of TiO2 remains far below the theoretical value of 336mAhg(-1) due to poor electrical conductivity and slow Li-ion mobility. This Minireview describes the main strategies developed to overcome the limitations of TiO2 polymorphs. Special attention is given to TiO2(B) since its outstanding Li-ion mobility, the highest mobility among all TiO2 polymorphs, has led to superior electrochemical performance. Finally, the potential of titania materials in sodium-ion batteries is also discussed.