1. Enhanced rate performance of Li4Ti5O12 anodes with bridged grain boundaries
- Author
-
Alberic Gan, Yan-Yan Hu, Xuyong Feng, Mingxue Tang, and Xiang Li
- Subjects
Materials science ,Ion exchange ,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment ,Inorganic chemistry ,Analytical chemistry ,Energy Engineering and Power Technology ,Ionic bonding ,02 engineering and technology ,010402 general chemistry ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Electrochemistry ,01 natural sciences ,Lithium-ion battery ,0104 chemical sciences ,Anode ,Ion ,Electrode ,Grain boundary ,Electrical and Electronic Engineering ,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry ,0210 nano-technology - Abstract
Excellent rate performance of Li4+xTi5O12 (0 < x < 3, LTO) electrodes results from mixed Li site occupancy and facile Li ion exchange at 8a and 16c sites. In this paper, we reveal that inter-particle connectivity within LTO electrodes affects 8a and 16c site occupancies upon discharge and impacts Li ion diffusion. LTO electrodes of the same primary crystal structure but of different grain boundary structures were prepared and they showed significantly different electrochemical performance. LTO electrodes with a percolated 3D structural network and bridged grain boundaries offered balanced 8a-16c occupancy, Li ion exchange at 8a and 16c sites upon discharge, high ionic conductivities, and good rate performance. While LTO electrodes with isolated clusters of particles showed strong rate dependence of 8a-16c occupancy, a lack of Li ion exchange at 8a and 16c sites, large over-potential, and substantial capacity decay upon fast charging. Bridged grain boundaries in LTO secondary particles facilitate apparent solid-solution process during electrochemical cycling by maintaining Li site exchange and thus enhance the rate performance of LTO electrodes.
- Published
- 2017