One-pot synthesis of carbon-coated nanosized LiTi2(PO4)3 as anode materials for aqueous lithium ion batteries

In this study, a one-pot sintering process incorporating sol gel preparation route and in-situ carbon coating was proposed for the synthesis of carbon-coated nanosized LiTi2(PO4)(3). Experimental results show that the prepared LiTi2(PO4)(3) particles are of high crystallinity and well-coated by turbostratic carbon. Attributed to nanosized particles and enhanced conductivity provided by turbostratic carbon coating, the carbon-coated LiTi2(PO4)(3) showed high rate performance and good cycling life in aqueous electrolyte. Particularly, the carbon-coated LiTi2(PO4)(3) exhibited initial specific capacities of 103 and 89 mAh g(-1), and retained 80.6% and 97% of the initial capacities after 120 cycles at 1C and 10C in aqueous electrolyte, respectively. The high rate performance and good cycling life of carbon-coated LiTi2(PO4)(3) in aqueous electrolyte reveal its potential as negative electrode in aqueous lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and industrial-scale energy storage systems. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.