Long term cycling studies of electrospun TiO2 nanostructures and their composites with MWCNTs for rechargeable Li-ion batteries

Nanofiber- and rice grain-shaped TiO2 nanostructures and their composites with functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes were fabricated by electrospinning and subsequent sintering process for applications in Lithium ion batteries. The fabricated nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning-and transmission electron microscopy and surface area measurements. All nanostructured materials showed average discharge-charge plateaux of 1.75 to 1.95V. The nanofibrous- and rice grain-shaped TiO2 nanomaterials showed stable performances of 136 (+/- 3) mAh g(-1) and 140 (+/- 3) mAh g(-1), respectively, at the end of 800 cycles in the cycling range of 1.0-2.8 V vs. Li at a current rate of 150 mA g(-1). TiO2-CNT (4 wt.%) composites showed a slightly lower capacity value but better capacity retention (8% capacity loss between 10-800 cycles). We believe that the present long term cycling materials would have wide interests in lithium ion batteries research.