Hydrogenated Anatase TiO2 as Lithium-Ion Battery Anode: Size-Reactivity Correlation

An improved hydrogenation strategy for controllable synthesis of oxygen-deficient anatase TiO2 (H-TiO2) is performed via adjusting the particle size of starting rectangular anatase TiO2 nanosheets from 90 to 30 nm. The morphology and structure characterizations obviously demonstrate that the starting materials of TiO2 nanosheets are transformed into nanoparticles with distinct size reduction; meanwhile, the concentration of oxygen vacancy is gradually increased with the decreasing particle size of starting TiO2. As a result, the Li-storage performance of H-TiO2 is not only much better than that of the pure TiO2 but also elevated stage by stage with the decreasing particle size of starting TiO2; especially the H-TiO2 with highest concentration of oxygen vacancy from smallest TiO2 nanosheets shows the best Li-storage performance with a stable discharge capacity 266 mAh g(-1) after 100 cycles at 1 C. Such excellent performance should be attributed to the joint action from oxygen vacancy and size effect, which promises significant enhancement of high electronic conductivity without weakening Li+ diffusion via hydrogenation strategy.