Facile synthesis of porous anatase TiO2 nanomaterials with the assistance of biomass resource for lithium ion batteries with high-rate performance

Porous TiO2 nanomaterials assembled by anatase TiO2 nanoparticles are successfully synthesized via a simple method with the assistance of an easily accessed biomass-sodium alginate. The alginate is favorable for the formation of small TiO2 nanoparticles and the presence of SO42- in the precursors could prevent crystal phase transformation from anatase to rutile to a certain extent during high-temperature calcination process. The pyrolysis product of alginate ions could also prevent the formation of large TiO2 nanoparticles. The reactant concentrations and the ratio of sodium alginate and Ti(SO4)(2) play important roles in the surface area and pore volume of porous TiO2 nanomaterials. The porous TiO2 nanomaterials are used as anode materials for lithium ion batteries and possess a reversible capacity of 223 mAh g(-)(1) at 1C after 20 cycles. Further increasing the cycling rates, the relatively large reversible capacities still maintain. The efficient nanostructures and good crystallinity of porous TiO2 nanomaterials result in their superior electrochemical behavior.