Anatase/TiO2-B hybrid microspheres constructed from ultrathin nanosheets: facile synthesis and application for fast lithium ion storage

Anatase/TiO2-B hybrids are considered to be promising anode materials for lithium ion storage. Here, a modified synthesis process for the fabrication of anatase/TiO2-B hybrid TiO2 spheres is proposed. Compared to the conventional two-step method employing strong base and acid solutions with titanate as the intermediate, the modified process proposed here employs a one-step reaction which is more facile and moderate. The as-prepared anatase/TiO2-B hybrid TiO2 spheres are assembled from ultrathin anatase TiO2 nanosheets embedded with TiO2-B nanodomains, which take the advantages of both the anatase and TiO2-B phases, possessing a large surface area and a hybrid crystalline structure, which are beneficial for fast diffusion and reversible storage of the lithium ions. Therefore, the anodes with the anatase/TiO2-B hybrid TiO2 spheres have a capacity of 101 mA h g−1 even at a current density of 20C and good cycling stability. This work provides a facile process for the fabrication of TiO2 nanostructures with the TiO2-B phase, which also implies the potential application of anatase/TiO2-B hybrid spheres in many fields including lithium ion batteries and other electrochemical technologies.