Hydrothermal synthesis of nano-sized anatase TiO2 powders for lithium secondary anode materials

Nano-sized TiO2 powders were prepared by a hydrothermal synthetic method for use as anode materials in lithium secondary batteries. The prepared TiO2 samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electrochemical tests. TiO2 nanoparticles were obtained at sintering temperatures between 200 and 600 °C. Calcination of the powders at 500 °C results in the formation of TiO2 nano-sized particles of 22 nm in crystal size. These deliver a reversible discharge capacity of over 170 mAh g−1 between 1.5 and 3.0 V with excellent capacity retention over 95% after 100 cycles. It is speculated that the nano-sized TiO2 powders are effective candidates for lithium secondary anode materials.