Bifunctional Li4Ti5O12 coating layer for the enhanced kinetics and stability of carbon anode for lithium rechargeable batteries

Abstract

We introduce an effective way to improve the electrochemical properties of graphite anodes by Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) coating for lithium rechargeable batteries. LTO coated graphite is prepared by a sol-gel method coupled with hydrothermal reaction. LTO coating renders the electrochemical performance of graphite to be significantly improved compared to pristine graphite. Moreover, LTO coating layers affect the stability of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) by making an even SEI film without further electrolyte decomposition and thus making it more stable. Also, LTO coating layers prevent the electrolyte decomposition species from going into the interior graphite, proving that LTO coating can contribute to not only the electrochemical properties of graphite but also its thermal stability. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.