Enhanced electrochemical performance of Cu2O-modified Li4Ti5O12 anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Li4Ti5O12/Cu2O composite was prepared by ball milling Li4Ti5O12 and Cu2O with further heat treatment. The structure and electrochemical performance of the composite were investigated via X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic charge-discharge tests. Li4Ti5O12/Cu2O composite exhibited much better rate capability and capacity performance than pristine Li4Ti5O12. The discharge capacity of the composite at 2 C rate reached up to 122.4 mAh g(-1) after 300 cycles with capacity retention of 91.3 %, which was significantly higher than that of the pristine Li4Ti5O12 (89.6 mAh g(-1)). The improvement can be ascribed to the Cu2O modification. In addition, Cu2O modification plays an important role in reducing the total resistance of the cell, which has been demonstrated by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis.