Enhanced rate performance of Li4Ti5O12 anode material by ethanol-assisted hydrothermal synthesis for lithium-ion battery

Spinel Li4Ti5O12 materials are synthesized and characterized as anode materials for high rate lithium-ion batteries. Li4Ti5O12 material by ethanol-assisted hydrothermal synthesis shows much better capacity retention at high C-rate than the one by solid-state synthesis in the voltage range between 1.0 and 2.5 V. Li4Ti5O12 materials by ethanol-assisted hydrothermal synthesis show the discharge capacity of 122 mAh g−1 at a high charge–discharge C-rate of 5 C after 150 cycles. The improved cycling behavior and higher reversible capacity of the Li4Ti5O12 material by ethanol-assisted hydrothermal synthesis compared to the one by solid-state synthesis could probably be due to an improved structural stability, lithium ion diffusion and ionic conductivity.