Synthesis and Li electroactivity of dandelion-like nanorutile

We report the synthesis of dandelion-like rutile TiO2 (D-TiO2) nanostructures composed of numerous single-crystalline nanorods using a facile wet-chemical route without any templates or surfactants. The effects of the addition of an inorganic salt, i.e., LiCl, during the synthesis on the morphology of the D-TiO2 nanorutile powders are investigated. When applied as an anode for Li-ion batteries, the resultant D-TiO2 nano-structured powders with 1.0 M LiCl exhibited good electrochemical properties that are attributed to the combined effects of the decreased powder aggregation and the enhanced one-dimensional character of each nanorod.