Mesoporous TiO2@N-doped carbon composite nanospheres synthesized by the direct carbonization of surfactants after sol–gel process for superior lithium storage. Issue 4 (9th January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Hongwei; Jing, Yunke; Pal, Manas; Liu, Yupu; Liu, Yang; Wang, Jinxiu; Zhang, Fan; Zhao, Dongyuan
• Is Part Of: Nanoscale. Volume 9:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 1539
• Page End: 1546
• Publication Date: 2017-01-09
• Subjects: Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; 620.505
• DOI: 10.1039/c6nr08885f
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2040-3364

Abstract

Abstract : Monodisperse mesoporous TiO2 @N-doped carbon composite nanospheres were prepared by a sol–gel process and following carbonization treatment. Abstract : Here, we report mesoporous TiO2 @N-doped carbon composite nanospheres synthesized via a double-surfactant-assisted assembly sol–gel process followed by sequential carbonization of surfactants under a N2 atmosphere. The resulting TiO2 @N-doped C composite nanospheres are composed of uniformly distributed TiO2 nanocrystals with a diameter of ∼8 nm coated by a N-doped carbon layer that was formed by surfactants. Moreover, a large number of connected mesopores were observed in the nanospheres after high-temperature carbonization treatment. The synthesized nanospheres possess a large specific surface area (∼120 m 2 g −1 ) and a large pore size (4–40 nm), with a well-defined spherical structure and a diameter in the nanoscale range. As an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIB), the mesoporous composite nanospheres delivered a reversible capacity of ∼117 mA h g −1 after 2000 cycles at a current rate as high as 10 C, as well as superior rate capability. The N-doped carbon layers greatly improved the overall electrical conductivity of the mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres. This study provides a remarkable synthetic route for the preparation of mesoporous TiO2 -based N-doped carbon composite materials as high-performance anode materials in LIBs.