Facile Aluminum Reduction Synthesis of Blue TiO2 with Oxygen Deficiency for Lithium‐Ion Batteries. Issue 50 (29th October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zheng, Jing; Ji, Guangbin; Zhang, Peng; Cao, Xingzhong; Wang, Baoyi; Yu, Linhui; Xu, Zhichuan
• Is Part Of: Chemistry. Volume 21:Issue 50(2015)
• Page Start: 18309
• Page End: 18315
• Publication Date: 2015-10-29
• Subjects: aluminum -- fuel cells -- lithium‐ion batteries -- oxygen -- reduction -- titanium; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/chem.201503266
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0947-6539

Abstract

Abstract: An ultrafacile aluminum reduction method is reported herein for the preparation of blue TiO2 nanoparticles (donated as Al–TiO2, anatase phase) with abundant oxygen deficiency for lithium‐ion batteries. Under aluminum reduction, the morphology of the TiO2 nanosheets changes from well‐defined rectangular into uniform round or oval nanoparticles and the particle size also decreases from 60 to 31 nm, which can aggressively accelerate the lithium‐ion diffusion. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) results reveal that plentiful oxygen deficiencies relative to the Ti 3+ species were generated in blue Al–TiO2 ; this effectively enhances the electron conductivity of the TiO2 . X‐ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) analysis indicates that a small peak is observed for the AlO bond, which probably plays a very important role in the stabilization of the oxygen deficiencies/Ti 3+ species. As a result, the blue Al–TiO2 possesses significantly higher capacity, better rate performance, and a longer cycle life than the white pure TiO2 . Such improvements can be attributed to the decreased particle size, as well as the existence of the oxygen deficiencies/Ti 3+ species. Abstract : True blue : Blue TiO2 nanoparticles with abundant oxygen‐deficiency/Ti 3+ were synthesized by a controllable and safe Al reduction route. The as‐prepared blue TiO2 possesses a higher capacity, better rate performance, and longer cycle life than the white pure TiO2 . This is mostly attributed to the stable oxygen vacancy/Ti 3+ defects as well as a reduced particle size from the metallic aluminum reduction process that leads to an increased electronic conductivity as well as Li + diffusion in crystal lattices.